Like Father, Like son
by Saphireanime
Summary: Kagome had heard you should not mess with fate and change the future- but fate had no problem messing with her. She saw a demon lord about to die along with infant Inuyasha and Izayoi and she had the power to help... when was she? Sess/Kag/Inutaisho
1. Bad situations

**O.K. I knew I said I would not post my next story until I had finished my other one but I had this idea and had to write it down. Besides most people are asking me for another Inutaisho/Kag/Sess – and this one focuses more on that triangle than just Touga and Kagome, so here it is. I hope you enjoy the story and I will post of more of this and the Lord of the West at the weekend. Read and Review and enjoy. **

**Chapter 1 – Bad situations**

Kagome had to admit it, she was almost as reluctant to do so as the hanyou had been, but she conceded - It was time for her to go home. They were dangerously low on supplies and if they wanted to keep themselves healthy and happy she needed to go and get them. She was down to practically nothing, and needed to get more.

They were on a roll with the shard detecting, over the fortnight she'd been with them since her last visit home, they had found 9 jewel shards. She and Inuyasha hadn't even had many arguments as of late either, but she still had to go. After all, the breaks she took were vital, everyone understood that, even Inuyasha, he just didn't approve. They were needed not just for her future, but for the cause of the quest too. Everyone knows that the great city of Rome was not built in one day, (maybe that's why it is not there anymore)and it seemed this mission would not be over in a couple of months either.

It was not intended to be a long visit though, strictly business. She only wanted to stay for a couple of days, stock up on some much needed supplies. They were out of ramen which was not a good thing since it subdued the hanyou better than the necklace. They were practically out of the particular fruit which she loved too, which she more or less lived on now. Seeming as she gave most of the ramen to Inuyasha anyway, she found it the fruit was all she had left for her. It gave her more energy than the copious amounts of happy food she brought back, but that was mainly on Shippou's demand which she found she could never decline.

Yes, coming back to the feudal era without candy for the little kitsune would be suicidal on her part and hardly fair to her child – she had started to think of Shippou as her child not long ago. She could not bring back ramen as a treat for Inuyasha and not bring Shippou's treats too. She had treats for the others as well, but they did not order things from her as if she was a live Argos catalogue like Inuyasha and Shippou often did.

She needed to take her school books with her every time she went down the well too because she was starting to fall really far behind again. Again she was reminded of Souta saying that she only had to fail the year six times and then they could graduate together. She would bring back treats for everyone so they would forgive her for leaving and she must not forget toiletries she had run out of because bathing was important to her.

Of course she would do some other things while she was there such as have a proper bath for starters. She could sleep in a real bed instead of a mere sleeping bag on the hard ground, with real sheets and a duvet and heavenly warm covers. She would go shopping, she needed to for the much needed supplies, but also just for the hell of it.

She could see her friends again, maybe meet up with them, it had been a while. She hadn't seen Erie and Yuuka for weeks, and she even missed trying to fend off Hojo's increasing sexual advances, just the usual. She was dying for a taste of normality aware from the threats on her life which were ever present in the feudal era. If fending off Hojo came along with that then she would leap at it, a dose of modern boredom and normal were what she really came home for. She wouldn't be much of a help in the feudal era if she was reduced to babbling fool after all.

That boy had been increasingly insistent lately and had apparently been checking round the house every day. Her grandpa had finally stopped listing off diseases after Kagome had ordered him not to, last time he said the first thing that came into his head and it happened to be an STD. It had taken weeks to calm the boy down, but thankfully he had told no one of her grandfather's 'Freudian Slip', she couldn't think of a better excuse for the old man. Wriggling their ways out of that one had been one of the most awkward situations of her life.

Now he just said that she was off visiting her boyfriend when he came round, as long as it was not a school day, otherwise unwanted rumours would spread like wildfire. On school days she was off at work experience, or visiting a sick relative, anything but being ill, just in case another episode of STD came up in conversation again.

This was not strictly speaking a lie. After all, according to her girl friends Inuyasha was her boyfriend, dubbed 'Mr Possessive' and whatnot. She wanted him to be her boyfriend too, but he was not ready to see her like that yet. He was still hung up over a dead girl, and only cared about her as a very close friend at the moment. He was also a bit immature, but he would come round eventually, and she would wait for him.

The partial truthful comment however had not had the desired effect on Hojo though. He called round more often, twice or three times a day, before school, after and during lunch breaks sometimes. What is more, he shamelessly glomped her whenever he saw her, clinging on as if for dear life. She didn't dislike Hojo, she loved him as a good friend, but could not like him as more than that because a certain hanyou already held her heart. She felt bad for him but she could not be much clearer than she was already being, it was not her fault if he was too dense to get the hint. She hoped he would find someone for himself soon. She was thankful he was not quite as insistent as Kouga, but he was getting pretty dang close.

Despite any abnormal things and unpleasant happenings in her time she was determined to not feel down when in the glorious modern era. She would relax, and have fun, and have a little break from the craziness going on down the well with a small taste of normality from her time. She would not be in danger, and only be pissed off by her brother; he could not hold a candle up to Inuyasha when it came to annoying her though, thankfully.

Souta thought his sister was becoming nicer, and consequently he became increasingly more excited to see her, not being able to wait to hear of her latest adventures. What was actually happening to cause her change in behaviour towards him was her patience towards him was only increasing. This was because so was her patience with Inuyasha, who was so much more annoying than Souta could even dream of. Kagome pretended to be annoyed by her little brother, only because she was his older sibling, but they hardly ever even fought in reality. She thought of Souta tenderly, she was actually missing him more than her mother.

Inuyasha had for once not been the reason for her decision to go home; in fact he had just nodded and said 'come back soon', who knew he could be so caring and considerate? His reaction had almost been sweet. Of course he had been rude and swore and she had had to sit him several times over the days she had spent with him, but that was normal.

Inuyasha actually pissed her off purposefully sometimes just to eat dirt, or so it seemed. Kagome knew he didn't like it when she went back to her time, and although he never admitted it to anyone, the whole gang knew he missed her like crazy when she did. This made Kagome smile and she knew she had it bad for him.

Apparently he got grumpier and grouchier than usual with her gone to the modern era, swearing and getting ticked off by the smallest of things. This was not just because they couldn't keep moving and had to stop but he actually genuinely missed her. Shippou informed her of his behaviour on her return... that is, once he stopped blabbering about how much he missed her and perched on her shoulder. She usually sat Inuyasha a couple of times when she came back for his snappish attitude and for thumping Shippou, which he did far too often, but never seriously meant it when she did so. She planned on never saying it aloud to avoid internal combustion, but she was touched, and loved him all the more.

In fact, lately, Inuyasha seemed to be returning some of her feelings and showed it through small gestures of his. Sometimes she would find him holding her hand, when he used to shy away from physical contact. An act of consideration on his part too was not running off to Kikyou whenever he saw her soul collectors. He sometimes still did so, usually in the night when he though no one was watching, but he did not go running at every opportunity anymore. He would be standing guard when she slept and bathed – with her permission of course, and she felt safe with him near her, and knew he would protect her. Kagome was pretty sure their feelings for each other were not quite mutual yet, but a girl can dream.

She promised to come back soon, and she would honour that, she always kept her promises. She often felt torn when she had to go back. She did not really wanting to leave her friends, for any length of time, they were her family in the feudal era, and she loved them all dearly. But at the same time she desperately wanted to go back home too, she had obligations in both points in time and could not give up either life.

She needed to go to stock up and break away from the craziness and study for school so she would have a future once she had finished with the past. She wanted to have a successful life in the conventional and materialistic meaning of the word, such as diploma, career and family. She had an actual biological family she loved too, and school friends that she had loved since she was in kindergarten.

Hoisting her practically empty yellow sack on her back, which still found a way to be heavy, Kagome jumped up to the lip of the well. She had a couple of changes of clothes and her bathing suit, which was her swimming costume.

She also had her bow and arrows in there; she trained when she was in her era as well so as not to let her skills get rusty, so it was important to carry them everywhere, she no longer left them in the village. She had also been learning self defence and martial arts, and a small dagger lay in one of the hidden pockets in her rucksack. It was positioned with the handle sticking out of the bag and the blade secured inside it, so she could easily whip it out if needed. Along with weapons she had a first aid kit which had not needed to be used and medicines, namely for flu that Shippou had had, that also had not been needed.

She also harboured some chocolaty treats left in her bag; although only a couple, she had confiscated them from Shippou when she caught him trying to steal them from her sack. She had intended to give most of them to him anyway, but she didn't appreciate that he took it upon himself to get the objects of his desire. She had instructed him that all he had to do was ask and she would have gladly given them to him. She spoiled her Kit, and everyone knew it. Although unable to stay angry at him, she had to discipline him as his mother, and not in the way Inuyasha did it, with thumps to the head.

She smiled at she jumped into the well, thinking of her son and his childish ways, and of her crush and his childish ways. She thought of Sango and her compassion and skill, with Kirara and her soft, warm fur. She was even missing the lecherous Miroku who never learned, and his two cursed hands, all of her companions already. She spread her arms out, waiting for the usual soft blue light to swallow her.

She had learnt the painful way that the well gave her no warning before the journey abruptly ended. So she managed to get herself into a position that meant she landed on her feet once she landed on the ground of the well in her time. It was a familiar journey and it was usually gentle with her, but you can't be too safe. She waited for the gentle azure hue and the scents and sounds of the city soon to follow.

However, the blue light did not come, in its place came a black swirl of pure energy. She had not a second to think about it, and not a chance to avoid it, all she registered was that it was wrong. Within a second, that dark energy swirl had engulfed her.

With a huge gasp, greedy for the air she had been deprived of, Kagome's head burst out of the raging water of the river. She was rushed along with the current and the sudden cold air stung her lungs, but she gulped it down thankfully anyway. She could breathe again; she had thought she was going to drown.

Her relief was short lived though. Soon another wave hit her, covering her head with cold water, making it so she was continually spluttering to try and keep alive. She burst out again, trying to keep her head above the surface of the river. But it was just so deep, and it was so fast, she could not remain in control.

She tried to grab onto some rocks that were at the sides of the raging water she was engulfed in, or some weeds, low branches, passing voles, anything – but her flailing hands made contact with nothing but more water. She fought to keep her head above the surface and to fight her way to the side of the riverbank, but the current was just too strong and it pulled her along mercilessly. She was going to die!

Why oh why was she in a river instead the bottom of a well? She asked herself as she continued to try and get out of the water. The water was icy cold and it soaked her to the bone to the point where she could not feel her limbs anymore and they were simply dead weights attached to her, being thrown about in the river.

Sharp rocks dug into her arms and thighs, but she could not feel the pain, and the freezing water stopped the flow of blood. She covered her head with her arms to protect it and was thankful that at least she did not seem to be bashing into anything so hard that she broke a bone. She would be covered in cuts and bruises once she got out of here though, that is if she got out, and hypothermia didn't finish her off.

She needed to get out of the water now, then she would look for answers and try and find out where or indeed when she was. She didn't have anything on her, she had a nearly empty yellow sack that had somehow managed to remain on her back and that was it. She was sodden, her clothes torn to shreds and her body drenched and freezing. Her mind was not in a better state, her thoughts were all jumbled up and refusing to straighten out. Her brain simply would not cooperate and insisted it was too cold and in shock to work. She was inclined to agree to with it there, that made two of them and she did not blame her poor brain in the least for feeling so desperate, but she needed it to help her.

She pushed against the water with her hands to lift herself out; slowly becoming unaware it was liquid and would not give her thrust. Her brain started to shut down and all she was capable of was bobbing along and gasping for breath whenever chance and luck would allow her too, other than that she was impassive and half dead.

'Goodbye Inuyasha, don't rebound to Kikyou too quickly, I will haunt you from my afterlife. I guess you will never know how much I loved you and for so long. Goodbye Shippou, I will miss you the most I think, and be a good little boy and don't cry for me. Goodbye Sango, you will always be my sister, look after Shippou for me and don't seek comfort from Miroku. Miroku, you will always be a dirty lecherous monk, and I will miss you dearly. Goodbye Kirara, you were always there for me too, carrying me on your back to the well. Goodbye Kouga, you were always a good friend and protector for me when I needed you.

Goodbye mother, goodbye gramps, goodbye Souta, and I had so looked forwards to seeing you too. Goodbye Buyo you fatty. Erie, Yuuka, and all my good friends at school, to you, one of those ridiculous diseases has finally finished me off. Comfort Hojo and make sure he finds someone new who will actually love him back. I love you all so much.'

Then suddenly Kagome was aware that she was no longer in the freezing water. She was falling through the air instead. It took a while for her hypothermia befuddled brain to work out what was going on. She was falling off the edge of a waterfall and speeding towards the pool below, Kami just hated her. The pool below was thankfully stagnant, that meant she would not be whisked away again. She would rest in the water and hopefully be washed up on the shore and she would survive, she _would _survive.

From where she was, Kagome was shocked to see just how high she was, below she could see the sparkling stagnant pool and also the tops of trees below her, and clouds at her level. Then a thought struck, if she hit the water, she would probably pass out, if not die on impact, and she could not move her dead limbs into a diving position to save herself. She thought her position had taken a turn for the better and fate contradicted her.

But she could alter where she fell if she could move a little as she flailed through the air, hopefully she would land in a tree, away from predators, awake and safe. There was a small chance, but hopefully she could do it, and she would live and work out a way to get home. It took all of her strength to move to the left whilst falling.

She managed to do it though - somehow. She was heading towards suddenly very sharp and uncomfortable looking treetops. She closed her eyes and covered her head with her arms to protect it, again in a rather clumsy manner seeming as she couldn't really feel them. However, adrenaline of falling to what might be her death was soon pulsing through her, fighting off the pain and some of the cold.

She didn't land on a branch; she went crashing straight through the canopy and into a clearing. She noticed the forest ended where she fell, just her luck. She forced herself not to say that not much else could go wrong today, because of course, it did. Her life being endangered immediately just had to follow.


	2. changing the inevitable

**So here is chapter 2 of my new story, like father, like son. Do you like? I had to change how the rescue went originally to fit my story, but it's still similar. I can't remember whether I put a disclaimer in last time – but yeah, it will never be mine. Same things apply for this story as the last one, I can't be bothered to keep on saying it – we all know it's Rumiko Takahashi's and have gotten over the fact.**

**So read, review and enjoy the story. Next post will be at the weekend :D**

**Chapter 2 – Changing the Inevitable**

Yes. He was dead. That much the Lord of the West knew as he looked at the hundreds of people facing him. He saw his mate and his baby son so far ahead of him in his mind's eye, running off into the distance, safe, they would live. He had to make that happen he would ensure it, and he, he would die in their place now.

He had used the wind scar many times to save them and now, his sword lay many paces away from him, and he was used up, exhausted. Dead. But he had to try to use the sword one more time, and his energy would be all used up, and they would be able to kill him in his weakened state. Then his mate and his pup would be safe. That was all that mattered to him now, saving the ones he loved. It was an honourable death and would not want to depart the world n any other way, as long as he was victorious.

He knew there was little point killing these humans now, they would only come in more numbers and he would die eventually. He considered just letting them kill him after he cleared a path for them to go down and they were out of the way. He loved her, he had to save her. And his newborn pup too, they had to be safe.

He did not want to die of course; he was just resigned to the inevitability of it. There were certain things he would miss of course – his son growing up, and his mate too, growing old together with his mate. He would not be there to teach his son all about the laws of the youkai and that was one regreat already there. He wanted to be a good father, to both of his sons and to be there for his youngest, but some things were out of his control.

He did not have to worry about that though. His other older son, Sesshoumaru was a young man composed entirely of honour, he was nothing without it. His other pup would take the boy in and teach him all he needed to know, he just wished he would have been the one to do it. He thought about his first born.

Would Sesshoumaru make a good Lord of the West? He was capable, strong, and smart, yes, he could do it, and he was proud of his eldest pup. He had never told him any of this – why had he never told him any of this? Because Sesshoumaru hated everything to do with sentimentality that's why – but he still loved him, did he know that? He could only hope. He did not have to worry about the lands or Izayoi, or his newborn, it was taken care of, but still – his last wish was to be forgiven, by all he was letting down by dying.

Cure you Ryuukotsusie, curse you.

Just as he resigned himself to death, first by exhaustion and then at the hands of these humans, the weirdest of events took place, and he wasn't even sure if it was good luck or not, it was just so strange. A weight landed on his back, it was not heavy at all, certainly not enough to knock him over had he been in good form, but it was sudden and it forced him to his knees. Not a second later a barrage of arrows and poisoned tipped javelins embedded themselves into the trees surrounding where his head and neck had been. The green poison started to eat through the bark and the Inu lord whispered a quiet thanks to Kami for saving his life, what was the force that had hit him? It was gone now.

"Izayoi, my little pup, I have to get to them," he grunted. "YOU WILL NOT HARM THEM!" He roared to the humans that had started to surround him. They started to move forward and attack him; they would distract him while another group moved towards his family. He could kill them and surrender his mate and pup. He could ignore them, save his family, then face all of the people himself afterwards and die.

Then he happened to look down and saw the strangest girl lying next to him. This had been the force to save him life. She was dressed in weird attire... and it was soaked through, had she just come from the river? Maybe she... no! Must focus on the matter at hand, then he would deal with this new conundrum.

Kagome immediately knew when she was, as soon as she saw the great dog demon. That was Inutaisho without a doubt. Man, fate just loved messing with her didn't it, oh, she must have really pissed off a Kami of great power. She was in the time when he sacrificed himself to save Izayoi and baby Inuyasha.

BABY INUYASHA!

Perhaps she could help; perhaps she could save the Lord of the West. Maybe if she did that then Inuyasha would not have such an unhappy childhood. Maybe she could warm up Sesshoumaru's icy shell as well. Perhaps she was meant to be here.

Kagome forced herself to roll off away from where she was lying practically on top the great dog. She said a prayer of thanks to him that he had been standing there to break her fall, without that stroke of uncommon good luck that fall would have been the end of her. She was just glad that she did not land on his spiked armour.

Her head was pounding and the pain all over her body was forcing its way back into the foremost of her mind, but she made herself sit upright anyway. Not giving her time to accept the pain and cold in she forced herself to stand up too. Adrenaline spiked through her once more, chasing away everything, the pain, the cold, the imminent danger.

She heard the Inu Lord next to her scream to his mate. She noticed that they were surrounded by well over two hundred villagers. They were obviously not soldiers based on the fact they were not holding very posh weapons, and their attire, there was no armour, just normal clothing. There were a couple of trained ninjas who were trained in the art of killing, and many men who were stronger than most people too.

Even with those points aside, she and the dog Lord of the West were awfully outnumbered. There were an awful lot of people out for the demon and half demon's blood, and they were full of adrenaline too. They were awfully outnumbered, but with the demon Lord being as legendary as he was, were they also clearly outmatched? He died last time so the answer was yes back then, but that was last time and this was this time, it was different. She was here this time to lend a helping hand, and she must be here for a reason.

Kagome shook her head in disbelief and fear the reality of the situation dawning on her once more – incredible. This had happened before, this was the past, even further in the past that is – well she was not exactly home. This was when he set out into battle against everyone, and he died, just it hadn't quite happened yet, he was going to die.

No, she could not let that happen. She could not let that happen to him, to Inuyasha, to Sesshoumaru, to Izayoi, to the West. He wasn't dead yet. "Oh no you don't mister," she grunted as she scrambled away from him and head off towards the crowd facing them, faintly aware of his wondering eyes on her.

The vague thought that she should not mess with time, flicked through her mind briefly, after all, the effects, good or indeed devastating are certain to ripple through time. Not mess with time... just what the hell was she thinking? She had been doing that for almost eighteen months now. Whether she was a couple hundred more years in the past hardly made a difference. If fate was going to mess with her, she would return the favour.

She gathered her miko powers about her and shot out a powerful beam of light. It dazzled many of the men charging towards them, making them stumble back, hands shielding their eyes from the light white blue brilliant light.

The pure force literally threw bodies out of the way and cleared a narrow path. Not wasting another moment, she ran down it as fast as she could, heading for the flaming hut with Izayoi and Inuyasha in. For reasons similar to the Inutaisho's, desperation flashed through hr at the same intensity. This had to work; she had to be able to save them.

She had only taken a few steps down her makeshift path when she tripped over something long, and sharp, and... transformed, which almost floored her. It would have made her land on her butt, but she had recently taken up classes in both worlds to make a little more than a simple jewel shard detector and a hindrance to Inuyasha. She had taken up self defence classes and gymnastics to improve her fitness, fighting and mainly grace. She was tired of flooring herself over every root and low hanging branch, and Inuyasha screaming at her for it. Thanks to this, it only made her stumble in her run, but made her stop to look too.

She recognized the object as Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha's sword. Kagome smiled, the powerful sword with the wind scar, carved out of Inutaisho's own fang. It was capable of killing one hundred demons with one swipe when used at full power. She had seen it done and it was one hell of an impressive sight, it must have come from a powerful demon.

Of course Inuyasha didn't have it yet, he was only a little baby, Inutaisho was not dead, and so he had both swords, Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga. Ignoring everything about her she picked it up, and almost dropped it again immediately. Kami, how anyone could wield it so easily it its transformed state was beyond her, it was _heavy. _With a boost of unknown strength she raised it up in one hand and she threw it with all of her might with a scream of "My Lord!"

The great dog demon caught it in one hand gracefully with not a word, but a nod and no more than a brief but intense glance in her direction. But that simple glance spoke volumes to her; it said 'you are going to explain the meaning of this... and much more.' Fear flicked though her at that steely glance, but she had bigger more immediate things to worry about, like the army in front of her, who, thinking she was a servant of Inutaisho, whom she guessed she was sort of now, a confederate at least, were trying to kill her as well.

Speeding down the path she had made, Kagome trusted the dog demon to watch her back. They didn't know each other, but she had unintentionally saved his life and had made it quite clear that she was here to help him. She sped off to the hut that was on fire, she hoped that she got their in time to save them.

He was not one to usually compliment, but it had to said that her miko powers were somewhat amazing. They stunned him... quite literally, not just with their strength, but her control over them too. She was no more than a pup herself, he could smell it, she was but an adolescent, half grown, a pup, a mature, well developed one, but a pup all the same. He reminded her of his eldest son, Sesshoumaru, skilled and mature, though she could only be a couple of years older than him at the most in her human eyes.

Human lives were so short and their abilities and senses limited. He had lived by that 'rule'. Humans had always been pathetic and stupid and weak... and then he met Izayoi, and everything about them changed. It wasn't just his views of them changing; it was like they were not the same creatures anymore.

Yet, watching this new girl he found himself revising his view on the race once more. She was a priestess true, that much he could sense with just a glance at her, but she was something different. Her powers, though she was a ningen were so much so that they rivalled that of some of the lesser demons in his army. He watched in awe as the shot fired out from her, creating a huge blast of pure energy, creating a path of blue light which she them decided to rush down, heading towards his human mate and pup.

He had no idea who she was, but she was in no way a hindrance. A complete stranger, a human _miko _had quite literally dropped out of nowhere and was deciding to help him. Mikos do not help demons, or did she not know that? She seemed awfully trained and powerful to him, she should know that much. This truly was an enigma, something he could do without right now. He heaved a sigh; he may as well return the favour. They were after all, for reasons unknown, fighting for the same cause, that's all that mattered for now.

She knew who he was, which was even stranger, because he had never met her before, he would recognize her if he had. He knew everyone in his lands, that was required to be a good lord, but he had never laid his eyes on her, or smelt her sweet scent of heard her soft voice before. Why did so much confusion have to befall him now?

"MY LORD!" His head snapped up and he caught the sword which she threw at him with one quick fluid movement. His glance, made sure that she understood he was not going to let this go, not let her go. He had to make sure he survived this now; he had to found out about her, such a strange priestess.

She started off at an impressive speed for a human down the path she made for herself. While she was running a knife appeared in her hand out of nowhere and she stabbed a man in the arm, making him drop his bow with a cry of pain and shock. She grabbed it and his arrows and started to shoot at the people coming near her.

She was not an amazing shot, truth be told, she was only human, often missing, and with the hordes of people coming after her, she would not make it. She was not a bad fighter, but there was only so much that a human, even a powerful human Miko could manage. If he was going to interrogate her, that meant she had to survive as well.

Gripping Tetsusaiga in a stronger grasp he set off after her at inhuman speed to protect her. He stopped the fast running when positioned only one pace behind her and slashed at the men coming dangerously close to her. He slashed arrows in half before they reached her until they finally got to the hut.

"I'll save them!" She rasped to him in an almost nonexistent voice. "You've got to stop these people, and don't die."

Inutaisho forced himself to not reprimand her for giving him orders and speaking to him in such a brusque, almost patronizing manner.

She disappeared into the flaming house and left him to the army that was a lot smaller now. "Prepare for death!" He screamed, feeling fully capable of using wind scar once again. "Izayoi," he whispered, "little pup."

To his surprise, the villagers now looked uneasy. A couple actually took a step back. They knew he was going to use the wind scar attack again, and it would kill them, hundreds of them, most of them. They were scared – good. He drew it and swished it through the air menacingly; maybe he did not need to kill many more.

The movement in its own right broke many spirits of the men and women after him and he smiled as many of them dropped their weapons, turned around and ran off. All he had to do was use wind scar one more time for those who stayed at then they would be safe and he could bring his family back to his castle.

"IZAYOI!" Kagome called as she made her way over to where the women lay crouched, protecting her child. She managed to make it to her side. "Come on," she ordered in a gentle tone given the circumstances. "We have to get out of here."

"Who are you child?"

"I'm a priestess, I'm here to help."

"A miko? Don't hurt my child please!"

Kagome was disgusted, "Hurt your pup! He is only a baby, why would I attack him? How low do you think I would stoop?"

"But he's a demon, and you said you are a priestess."

"I would never hurt a child, demon, hanyou or human."

"You will help us?"

"That is what I am trying to do! Give me your hand; I will get us out of here. Everything will be okay I promise."

Izayoi smiled and nodded, slid her hand into Kagome's and allowed herself to be hauled to her feet, still clinging to her baby.

Then misfortune befell them as a ninja armed with shurikens slid into the hut from one of the practically destroyed walls. Kagome managed to block him as he threw them at her, but another one joined him, and another.

Izayoi threw her a frightened glare and without any warning thrust the child at her. Kagome had not been expecting a child to be thrown into her arms. She had had to drop her weapons so he would not fall to the burning ground. "I'm hurt, tired, and weak," Izayoi said softly, casting her eyes around at the ninjas fearfully. "Take my child and get him to safety. Take him to the west, someone there will take him in, find the Lord of the West, someone. Save him."

"NO WAY! Your mate is right outside fighting for your lives. I'm not leaving you, come on!" Kagome grabbed the woman's arm, but a shuriken embedded itself into the hand holding onto her and Kagome shrieked in pain. A barrage of six more came her way and Kagome knew she could not dodge them all.

A shriek of terror and pain met her ears, but it did not come from her. Kagome looked to see that Izayoi had thrown herself in front of her to save her and Inuyasha. Her eyes opened in pain and Kagome knew she was almost dead. "Go!" She mouthed before her eyes glazed over and saw no more, she died.

Kagome wanted to scream in pain and defeat and failure. She wanted to break down and cry, but she couldn't, not now, she had a job to do, a little pup to save. Not wasting any of the time that Izayoi had sacrificed her life for, Kagome jumped straight through a burning wall and ran off into the forest at top speed.

Without breaking her stride she threw herself to the ground, with the pup safely buried in her chest, so it would not get hurt. She rolled on the ground a couple of turns to put out the flames on her clothing, before jumping back to her feet and set off running again, even faster. Desperation and love for her hanyou spurred her on. She headed to the river, with several people on her heels; she could lose them in the water.

She managed to make it to the river in rather good shape given the situation – with no more than a bad cut in her hand from the shuriken, which was still embedded in her wrist, too deep to remove and an arrow which had assaulted her shoulder. It was not deep, but she was not going to pull it out whilst running, she had to get to safety first.

Kagome was comfortable when in the river, she had always been confident when in the water. With a deep breath, she curled her body around the pup and jumped into the raging waters. She knew she was past the waterfall and the quiet pool that came after it, she was in the rapids again, but somehow she knew she would survive it.

She managed to shake off the people following her by jumping into the water. They wanted to kill her and the newborn pup but were not going to follow her into the rapids. Kagome guessed that they thought she and the pup would die, but Kagome begged to differ. She was not a weak little girl of fifteen anymore, and she was not going to fail this; she was not going to fail Izayoi, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru or Inutaisho.

She was carried along by the strong current for no more than a few seconds, before her top got snagged on a low hanging branch. Praising Kami for sending such good fortune her way she threw Inuyasha into the tree where he landed and clung on, survival instincts kicking in so soon after birth, he was thankfully alive, but silent. Then reaching out with her hands to grab onto the branch herself, she followed him up there.

It was an oak tree, huge and surrounded with many branches and leaves to keep them hidden and safe. Good. They would not be spotted here by stragglers of the army, or from demons looking for an easy meal.

Gathering Inuyasha into her arms once more, seeking comfort from the feel of the warm baby body in her arms, she climbed up into the highest branches so they would be safest and concealed. She had just managed to get herself into a safe position in the highest branches, somewhere they would not easily fall from, and if they did, there were many braches below to catch them. With Inuyasha tucked into her chest, the adrenaline rush abruptly finished.


	3. A Demon Lord's tears

**So, here is Chapter 3 guys! The story really gets moving now. For now I shall focus on Inutaisho/Kagome, but that will not last for long, Sesshoumaru will join in the action in a few chapters once the four of them return to the Western Palace and Kagome gets interrogated. Read, Review and Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3 – A demon Lord's tears**

Kagome woke to the sound of a mournful howl reverberating throughout the forest. Her eyes snapped open and her arms tightened around the small warm form that was still clinging to her chest with his small hands. She had not been aware that she had even fallen asleep, but it cannot have been for more than a couple of minutes.

Inuyasha was not asleep either, he was babbling baby language quite contentedly given the situation, but hey... he was an infant. She rubbed his ears affectionately; she just loved his ears so much! Inuyasha had been whimpering slightly but after rubbing his ears he calmed and let out a purring sound. Dogs do not purr, she knew that, but it was a throaty sound that signalled he felt contented.

Kagome winced as she sat up. The pain wracking her body was borderline on excruciating but she could handle it, she'd handled equivalent. The arrow in her back was not deep and the shuriken in her wrist although rather well embedded in her flesh, had not cut any major vein or artery. It was the minor injuries that hurt her more anyway; they always did sting terribly, more so than serious ones, the bruises and cuts from her 'ride' in the river pained her most. What hurt her most was the coughing and sore throat she got from the salty water.

Kagome was still freezing cold, especially being dressed in ripped and soaking clothing for so long, but she would survive. 'Wait a minute, she was being so stupid,' a light bulb lit above her head – her yellow sack, she was actually still wearing it. She shrugged it off her tired and aching shoulders, her pup, *ahem* that is to say, Izayoi and Touga's pup, nestled in her lap.

Her first thought was to grab her first aid kit to tend to some of her injuries, they really needed to be dealt with, but she decided that she could not remove the weapons from her flesh or she would likely bleed to death. It would also take too much time, time she did not really have, and the few dressings and medicines in there would not account for half of the bruises and grazes covering half of her body.

This was the feudal era, in fact, it was before the feudal era, and that meant that there was no pollution in this time, if there was, there was very little. So hopefully the raging river cleaned her cuts, not dirtied them, the cold water staunched the steady flow of blood and none of them needed stitching. Hopefully she would not get infection, and her miko powers would speed up the healing process too which was another perk. Besides all of that, her hands were shaking so badly from the cold and wet, Kagome was sure she was not capable of dressing her injuries anyway. Her temperature was what she had to deal with first, it was dangerous when low, and hypothermia definitely would kill her.

Kagome grabbed a pair of trousers and a simple top from her bag, they were damp but not ripped and sodden like the ones she had on. She had spent too much time with wet clothes on. The adrenaline had kept her going so far, but if she did not get these clothes off soon she would freeze to death inside them. Because her body was wet it would not be a spectacular improvement but it was better than now.

She used her sodden and ripped up clothing to give herself a quick wipe down in the tree to get rid of the majority of dirt and blood encrusted on her body. Inuyasha was only a baby so she was not even self conscious while she was doing this. He still reached up and fixed his lips around her nipple, seeking nourishment. She was not his biological mother though, and not with child, she could not help in that respect, she could not feed him. 'Hentai,' she thought good naturedly and kissed his forehead before setting him down away from her on the branch. Once all dressed, she gathered Inuyasha once more into her arms and started her descent, intent on heading back to the scene of destruction.

She once more heard the loud, long mournful howl that had to have come from the Lord of the West; he was in pain, her pace increased dramatically. It was heartbreaking for her to have to listen to if she was honest. He must have found Izayoi, dead, and his pup missing, the two he had been fighting for, all lost.

The hut was completely collapsed, burnt to nothing but a pile of ash. Everyone was dead but him, even Izayoi. He had tried so hard to save her, and in the end, it turned out that he wasn't good enough.

He had never loved someone as much as he loved the dead woman in his lap. His heart had never raced as much as when he saw her, his eyes had followed her every movement. He had never felt love so strong or true as he did when he so much as looked at her.

His precious Izayoi.

He gathered his mate into his arms, and crushed her body to his chest one last time. He felt loss consume him, and his eyes bled red. He did not even try to keep it confined, he was beyond caring, and everyone was dead now anyway, beast broke free. The giant white dog sat in the middle of the carnage and lifted its huge snowy snout to the starry smoky sky. His beast usually only responded to anger and hate, which was why he usually only transformed when doing battle, but the sorrow and grief was so strong that his primal urges to display it overtook him. He had never felt this intense emotion before – bereavement, and it destroyed him.

**IZAYOI**

His howl was so loud and long and mournful it made all living things in the Western Kingdom shiver. It almost had a tune to it that sounded lyrical, but it was sad, it was very sad, and Kagome was closest to him. The force of the grieving howl physically hit her and stumbling she took a couple of steps back. She shook her head and had to collect her bearings before she carried on moving forward towards him.

He changed back into his humanoid form so he could look upon the human woman who had captured his heart so completely. He had never known someone who could compare to her... except maybe the miko whom he had only just met. Their physical beauty was just as breath catching as each other's, and their inner beauty too was ethereal and similar. Their hearts and auras were so pure and good. That human was a miko, yet she had put aside their differences and helped him, a demon.

The miko. Where was that miko? That miko had their pup. Where were they? Still in his human form, with his dead mate held against his chest, he lifted his head to the sky and howled once more, calling to them. "Where are you?" His howl carried the message through the woods, begging for a response.

Kagome heard a softer, less emotional howl through the woods and it struck her to her core. Something in the noise connected to her, and she felt that it was aimed at her. Inutaisho was trying to communicate something to her from wherever he was. Then Inuyasha lifted his head up from her chest and howled back.

The Inutaisho's howl had only just finished when he heard a very small, very young howling voice answer him. "I'm here. We're coming, father." His son, it was his pup speaking to him, answering him already.  
>Inutaisho couldn't help but muster a small, brave smile onto his face.<p>

Mere seconds later, the miko burst from the trees, holding his pup safe and sound close to her chest, keeping him safe. She looked at him standing there amongst the wreckage and her eyes widened in surprise. Then her eyes fell upon the dead girl in his lap and her scent changed to that of overwhelming sorrow that rivalled his own.

This confused him yet again; this girl was but a stranger to them, so why did she feel such sadness? She felt something else too. Inutaisho did not quite know what it was. Shame? No, it was more a sense of... failure. Why failure though? More questions about this miko are asked with every passing minute.

Kagome was shocked to say the least when she saw the Lord of the West. He was doing something that she had never seen any of that family do before. She saw him do something she had never seen any demon do before, besides Shippou of course, but he didn't count, he was only a baby. There were only a few, but they were heartfelt and trickled down his cheeks as truthfully as when she did it. He was actually crying.

He was crying because the one person he had fought to protect had died. He had been willing to die for that woman, and she was dead. Kagome had fought for her too, and she had still died. Guilt and failure filled her chest and she felt a sob rise up and break through, adding to the mournfulness the daiyoukai was feeling.

Kagome ran forward to join him and sank to her knees beside the Inu Lord and cried her heart out beside him, with him; together they expressed their sorrows for Inuyasha's mother. Then, a thought came to Kagome's mind. She had the urge to throw her arms around the grieving male, but kept herself in check. This was Touga, Lord of the West, and not Inuyasha – her close friend, then again, neither was he Sesshoumaru – a remorseless psychopath.

She would have addressed him as Inutaisho but she thought better of it just in time. "My Lord, can you not use Tensaiga to bring Izayoi back?"  
>She gained a stare and Kagome realized that she had once again revealed that she knew far too much about him and his family.<p>

He did not question her though; all he did was shake his head in sorrow, "I have already used that sword to bring her back once. You cannot use Tensaiga to bring someone back a second time."

This Kagome knew.

What about Kikyou though? Could Izayoi live through the same means, all you need is to give her a soul. No, Kikyou lived off other people's souls and was nothing but a clay pot; Inutaisho would not want that for his mate. But Izayoi was not a clay pot yet, she was only recently dead... Kagome realized there was only one thing she could do.

She looked up at the Inu Lord and without thinking she brushed his cheek with her thumb. She was entranced by his tears. He looked shocked by her action so Kagome knew she needed to explain herself. "I'm sorry; I have never seen an Inu demon cry before," she gave a small comforting smile. "Inutaisho," Kagome started forgetting that she really should not be using his name in such a carefree manner. "May I hold Izayoi too?" Her plan would only work with physical contact, "I guess you could say I knew her."

Inutaisho looked at her in that same shocked and suspicious way once more and Kagome sighed again. She really was digging her own grave here. With every word out of her mouth she was giving him more and more reason to be suspicious of her. She knew way too much and the Lord wanted answers, lots of them.

"It is... acceptable for you to say goodbye to her too, though I do not believe that you knew her well," he nodded.

Kagome passed Inuyasha to his father who took him graciously, and the way he held the boy with such tenderness and love melted Kagome's heart. He looked upon the hanyou in the same way Kagome looked upon Shippou and she guessed Sesshoumaru must look upon Rin; it was a true parent's love.

Kagome held on to the woman like a parent would hold on to their child and she knew that this woman had to live. She had come to this era for a reason, and she had decided that this reason was to improve Inuyasha's childhood. Maybe if she did that he wouldn't be so cold and he would love her like she loved him!

Kagome looked inside herself and found her soul. This is where she looked to when she wanted to use her miko powers. Kagome knew she had a large soul and that it was strong and it made her a powerful priestess. It had almost broken Kanna's mirror and her life force was more than enough to support one, it already supported two.

She laid the woman whom Kagome realized was only a few years older than her to the ground in front of her after a brief hug where she held her to her chest. She placed one pale hand on the dead woman's chest, over her heart, and one hand over the girl's forehead. She reached for her powers, gathered them and forced part of her soul and her life force into her hands.

Bracing herself, she sent it forward.


	4. The Return of the Western Lord

**O.K. here is the next chapter – the story gets moving now I promise you. But just like The Lord of the West, this story is going to be looooonngg too, I can't write short ones, so I have the words to drag out the beginning, and I will bring in the romance earlier than my other story for those of you reading it. You know the drill – R&R&E!**

**Wait! One more thing! I really dig titles, like majorly. The titles of my chapters have to be grabbing and flow like this one. And the one before it a demon lord's tears – it just sounds nice. It comes to me and I'm like yes! It's going to be called that. But for the title of the fic – Like father, like son – it doesn't sing. Any ideas?**

**Chapter 4 – The Return of the Western Lord**

It was late in the afternoon when the Inu Taisho finally returned to his lands, worn out, injured, but alive and well. The sky was beginning to darken and it was growing colder as the night air began to invade the skies.

Clinging to his back, half asleep but perfectly fine and successfully brought back from the other side was Izayoi. She was crying silently, but she too was alive, though clung to her mate like a lifeline, she seemed to be watching the world pass her by. Her black hair cascaded down her back and hung over her eyes.

Over one arm, cradled to his powerful chest was Kagome, unconscious and weak, but alive. She hung limp in his grasp much like a doll, fragile, unresponsive, barely there. Her breathing was shallow and weak, but steady, and her pulse was growing stronger now her wounds were healed. The Inu no Taisho did not miss how unhealthily cold she was though, not only was it was a cold day, but she had swam in the icy river, hypothermia or pneumonia would be sure to follow if help was not brought to the shaking girl soon.

He had removed the weapons protruding from her body and closed her wounds with his saliva so she did not bleed to death. It was an intimate act, running one's tongue over another's flesh, even if it was a wrist and shoulder, and not, for example, her neck. The miko had an interesting taste, although he had no intention of telling anyone that, it did not mean anything, his mate would take it entirely the wrong way he was sure. Ahh... his mate, yes, Izayoi had hid her dislike for his actions very well considering, he did not blame her or frown upon her feeling jealousy, it was understandable, but they all owed her a great debt.

His young pup, baby Inuyasha clung onto her top. It seemed that he did not want to let her go, almost as if he longed to protect her, not that he was really able to do so. It was normal for a pup, even newborn one to feel protective towards the ones that looked them, family, and ones they had been assigned to look after – their parents, wet nurses, siblings, especially younger ones. He was no longer crying, but then again he was half asleep.

He looked every inch a war hero as he walked into his palace grounds, with his family in his arms, and his saviour and enigma cradled to him carefully. His armour was scratched and his clothes torn, he knew that he was going to have to have them fixed or replaced. But such troubles which usually concerned him were of no importance and would not be until all the individuals he was carrying were cared for.

He was very much still in awe of how the miko had brought his mate back from death. It was a great feat not many could boast about, and he had met a great deal of mikos in his time being the travelling lord he was. The priestess had let out a gasp of pain as if she was being drained, she was being drained. Then after a couple of moments Izayoi took a huge breath of air as she came back and her lungs started working. Then her eyes had opened blearily and she was back. Inutaisho had almost forgotten the rest of the world, including the miko.

He had had to remind himself that she was still there pouring her life force into the young woman even though she had been brought back. He had practically pushed the girl off his mate to save her; she would have kept going unknowing until she was dead. She was such a selfless and confusing girl to do such things for a stranger. She was half drained as it was and he had known he had quite a load to take back with him. Not one of the three people could walk themselves, and he had to get them back quickly so it made sense to fly, that meant he was drained as well. but everyone was alive, that was something.

He had never been so indebted to someone before, but here he stood, he owed his life, his mate's life and the life of his pup to a mere girl. No, she was not a mere anything, mere human, woman or any demeaning or generalizing title. She was a powerful miko who seemed to know everything, or at least much more than she should. He did not like being confused and it made him uneasy that she was so knowledgeable, but he was not a fool, she was definitely a friend, not foe. Yet she was also a puzzle that needed to be solved, first things first though, he had to heal her, it would not do to have her die or seriously ill.

"Jaken!" He yelled, and as always the sickeningly loyal retainer appeared seemingly out of nowhere with a delighted squawk of "My Lord! You have returned."

"Indeed I have Jaken. I need a room to be prepared for Izayoi, the one next to mine of course and another nearby for Inuyasha, one close to Sesshoumaru's."

"Akito!" He called, and a fox youkai came forward. He thrust the girl into his arms. "Take her to the healer's wing and make sure she gets the best of treatment. She is to be healed to the fullest extent possible using any means."

He nodded and disappeared.

"Haru!" A dragon youkai stepped out of the shadows, saying nothing, but bowing his head in acknowledgement. "Call a meeting of everyone in the palace; I want all workers in the hall within an hour, except the healers. It is time for the Western Lands to know their Lord has returned, and Ryuukotsusie (spelling), the great dragon has been defeated."

The very first thing Kagome became aware of was that she was lying on something soft. It felt like a bed and she wondered whether she had made it home after all and she was blissfully snoozing between those warm covers. Typically, this was not the case, and as the numbing effects of sleep wore off Kagome blanched as the events since jumping down the well from the feudal era came back to her.

She had been expecting to go home, for a couple of days to grab supplies, she had wanted to go home, and it had been a while since she had seen her friends or her family. But no, the well would not grant her that, instead of a soft blue light appearing to transport her it had been black. Then before she knew it she had been fighting against raging waters. Then she met someone who was supposed to be dead, or at least was supposed to have died, but she had stopped that, she had fought and then, and then ... oh Kami!

Kagome opened her eyes and the first thing she became aware of, were two pools of amber light boring into her. Someone was staring at her, and that someone happened to be the Inu no Taisho himself. His face was so close to hers, scrutinising her calculative, sizing her up, had he been doing that while she slept? She could see the two blue lines adorning his cheeks and his pointed ears which were identical to Sesshoumaru's poking out from his long silver hair.

He really was quite handsome just like his sons were, or will grow to be. Kagome then became aware of something else that she really should have noticed earlier. While her body was indeed lying on satin sheets, which were incredibly comfortable she must say, her head was nestled on something quite different, silk, warm silk. It just so happened that her shoulders up were nestled between two... knees?

Kagome swore in her head and she saw a flicker of amusement glint in those golden eyes when he saw the effects of her realization flash across her face. She was not schooled in controlling her emotions like silver dog demons seemed to be and she flushed red in embarrassment of the position she was in.

'Why oh why did this mortifying sort of thing have to happen to her... on, it would seem, a daily basis!' She was lying in his lap! It would not have been so bad if his arms were not around her, cradling her to his body. This effectively trapped her and she was just not going to ask him to let her up yet, it was a question that was too embarrassing to verbalize. She was not feeling up to a fight anyway, of any sort, she was feeling a little weak and light headed, despite her long sleep. Her body was dead.

"I am glad you are finally awake," he said in a deep baritone voice which was almost identical to Sesshoumaru's, they really were very alike, like father, like son. "You have been sleeping for over 28 hours; I was beginning to wonder whether you were in a coma, or whether you were simply sleeping off severe exhaustion."

Kagome knew she was meant to answer, and she was surprised to hear her own voice. It was quiet, weak, and broken with need for water. "I've never... slept... so long... before," she managed to choke out.

"I can easily believe that," then his eyes narrowed and he seemed... disapproving. "Then again, have you ever half killed yourself for another before? If that is not something you need to rest from, I am left to wonder what is."

This brought Kagome back to the present and she remembered what it was she had done. She had given part of her life force to Izayoi so that she would live and Inuyasha would have a happier childhood. "How is Izayoi, is she O.K?"

He glared at her and Kagome was left to wonder what it was she had done to deserve it. Had she displeased him in some way? Sheesh, you would have thought that after saving the life of everyone he held dear he would refrain from glaring at her like... like... her tired and befuddled brain could not be bothered to think of a simile – like that. "Why are you on such common terms with her? I questioned my mate on her relationship to you, and she informed me that she did not know who you were." He tapped his nose, bringing his face closer to hers in the process, "and she was not lying, miko, lies and deceits are bitter."

Kagome did not really know how to answer this; could she tell him the truth already? Not without something to drink first, that's for sure. "All... I can tell you... my Lord... is that I... could not stand by... and watch an innocent woman... and her baby... human, hanyou or demon... get killed." This was more or less true, she was pretty sure that she would have done the same had it been another group of people, not just Izayoi, Inuyasha and the great dog demon himself.

With a small sigh, the Inu no Taisho reached behind him and then brought a flask of water to her lips. With one word he commanded her to "drink" but she did not reach out for the flask because her arms were trapped by her sides by Touga's body. They were in a rather intimate position and situation, a bit too much so for Kagome too, it felt like fraternizing with another's mate, but, she really was in no condition to be complaining.

Once she had been given her fill she nodded her thanks and the demon lord began to speak again. "It intrigues, and at a loss for a better way of putting it, it bothers me that you would be as selfless as to risk your life for a stranger. There is much that I would like to know about you, especially concerning the things that you know. You owe me an explanation."

This was true; he had cared for her, hadn't he? How long had she been in that position for anyways, surely not 28 hours, he was far too busy wasn't he? "I guess so and thank you for caring for me."  
>He nodded in acceptance. "It was my duty to do so as Lord of the West, and alpha, and I am also indebted to you, I thank you."<p>

"No problem," she stuttered, in awe that the great Inu no Taisho was thanking her. '_Way to go Kags, brilliant response._'

"Are you hungry?" He asked her suddenly.

Kagome nodded.

He set her down on the bed and stood up, smoothing the wrinkles in his clothing absentmindedly. "I shall have food sent up to you. Try not to move too much so soon. Now you are finally awake I shall alert the household, there will be a meeting shortly to properly welcome you into the palace. I will also send for Izayoi and my new pup to visit you. One more thing to ask you before I go, so I do not have to call you 'miko', what is your name?"

"Kagome. Kagome Higurashi."

With those few words and a nod in response he left her alone. It was something that she had wanted to reveal to him when she met him again, he was such a nice person – demon, and everything in her that made her a miko told her he could be trusted. Everything was moving too fast, she wanted to stop the world and get off, but that was beyond even her miko abilities which were escalating with every day.

One her own once more in the silence, Kagome set back to thinking about what she had been landed in now. She doubted she was here by accident, but she also doubted that no one was to blame. The well certainly did not have a mind of its own did it? Even if it did, why send her back at this time, and to do or/and change what?

It's not as if things were perfect in the feudal era, with all the business of the Shikon no Tama and Naraku and so on. But why send her back to save Inu no Taisho, Naraku would not even be born for another hundred years or so. Maybe she was sent here for something to do with the Inu family. She could help Inuyasha here, though he had his mother and father now so would grow up as a happy child. Inutaisho was alive and had his mate so he would live a happy life now, so what did that leave? Of course, there was one more person that lived in this era and this household in particular. There was also the Little Prince of the West, Sesshoumaru would be around now too, a younger one, but Sesshoumaru all the same.

Perhaps she was meant to help him some way... she could not for the life of her think of something. Maybe she could, or was meant to improve his relationship with Inuyasha, not to sound too pessimistic, but the roots of that hatred and sibling rivalry ran awfully deep. However, whatever reason she was here, she was here all the same, by fate's game she was here, and was meant to do something.

It was too complicated and tiring to think about all that now. She had only just woken up and she was going to be fed soon and see Izayoi and Inuyasha so she did not want to tire herself out in a way now. She could think about it later when she really had to get back home or home to the feudal era. For now, she may as well just enjoy life in a new point in time; it was not as if she'd never meddled with the past before.


	5. Sharing Yasha & Hot springs

**So... here is just the relationship between Izayoi and Kagome. You know how warm hearted our little miko is, I want them to be friends, so yeah, they're friends. Read, Review and Enjoy!**

**Chapter 5 – Sharing Yasha & Hot Springs.**

"Hello Kagome sama, I am glad to see you are awake, how are you feeling?" Izayoi stood there in the doorway, holding a half canine infant in her arms. Kagome smiled when she realized that the little baby she herself had saved the life of only about 30 hours ago was her crush give a hundred or so years later.

Looking up from her meal of fruit and meat, Kagome gave them the warmest smile she could muster and welcomed them in. The meat was far too rare for her taste, which was to be expected given that only carnivores lived here. She was rather tolerant of most food and had grown accustomed to eating meat which wasn't exactly well done, but she did prefer it when it wasn't actually still bleeding

"Thank you for concern, and I am feeling much better now after a long sleep and a meal. I am glad to see that you too are well Izayoi sama."

"That is all thanks to you," she said settling into a seat in the corner of the room near the bed Kagome was still positioned on. She was not lying down anymore, eating was difficult in that position, but, on Inutaisho's orders which were not to be disobeyed, she was not going to be up and walking about just yet.

"I still have not yet properly thanked you for saving my life; I'd be dead if not for you. I was dead, but you, somehow, you called me back and allowed me to live once more; I am forever in your debt. We all owe you our lives actually, me, my baby, my mate too, for without your assistance we would have all surely perished."

"Please, do not feel as if you owe me anything, truly I was just doing what was right, and I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"I do not understand, nobody else I know would do that, I know I wouldn't, she admitted, looking down. "No miko would get associated with a demon or risk themselves for on, unless it was to kill them."

"I am not most mikos."

"Still, the way you held my pup so tenderly, and risked yourself for him, such a pure heart is hard to come by."

"How is the infant?" Kagome asked, sitting up a bit more to see him better. He was so cute; she wished she had a camera so she could take a picture of him to torture him with when... when it was time for her to go back.

"He is strong and healthy, also all thanks to you Kagome sama."

"Please, call me Kagome, I am not a sama, and I hope we can become good friends," she asked with a slight question to her voice. The girl was about her own age, about nineteen or so, only two years older than her.

Izayoi looked ecstatic at being friends with Kagome and agreed immediately, "I have one condition though Kagome, you have to drop the honorific on my name too, just call me Izayoi, then we really will be best of friends."

"Deal. Hey Izayoi, could I-" she blushed a little bit though not quite knowing why, "could I hold him for a bit?"

Izayoi was not at all reluctant to hand over her pup, she owned her his life after all. She landed him into Kagome's waiting arms, and Inuyasha settled into her lap as much as he was settled in Izayoi's arms. Kagome's heart melted when he smiled up at her and gurgled happily, twitching his adorable little doggy ears atop his head.

"He seems to have accepted you as much of a mother to him as I am," she informed her. "The two of us together brought him into the world, protected him with our lives and were saved by his father. I am glad to be able to share my beautiful son with a miko so kind hearted and pure, that is, if you do not mind."

"I have no problem with the matter; I'd love to spend time with him. I was thinking you would not want it, seeming as he is your son and all."

"I am not so selfish."

"There is nothing selfish about looking after your own son."

"Touga says that the responsibility of looking after the new pups falls to all members of the pack, so it is your right to mother him."

"You say the responsibility falls to members of the pack, so does that make me a member of the pack?"

"I thought you knew Kagome. It would be dishonourable for Touga not to welcome you into the Western Lands and offer you protection; after all, he owes you our lives. From the moment you assisted him you allied yourself with the West, and in the absence of anywhere for you to go, that makes you one of us. I am so glad to be able to be the one to do this instead of Touga; welcome to the family Kagome."

"Thank you for the warm welcome Izayoi, it is nice to be recognized as part of the... pack. Glad to know my efforts are appreciated," you could learn a thing or two about gratitude from your mother young Inuyasha. You owe me your life now, nice to know that it isn't always you saving my ass, and I can return the favour.

"Tomorrow morning, maybe in a couple of days depending on what Touga decides is best, you will meet the rest of the castle if you will. You will be formerly introduced as an honest guest of the West. You will get to see Sesshoumaru too, he's a little cold and emotionless, he loses his temper easily and it is not a good idea to get on his bad side, but he is not evil I assure you.

He can be disrespectful but he is not without honour. I do not know what you will make of him, but I warn you that he is not overly friendly and does not wear his heart on his sleeve in the pure innocent way you do. You should be able to walk by then, but just in case I'll help you along the way, you were quite badly injured when you came here. You had lost a lot of blood and had given part of your life force away."

"I look forward to it," and she was. She was curious as to what the young Sesshoumaru looked like and acted like. She had so many questions to ask and things to consider. Did he still hate humans, like want to kill them all on sight like he does when she meets him later? Is he as cold and unfeeling as he is later? Will they be able to get along? More importantly, will he and Inuyasha get along? That would have major implications in the future; it would change the feudal era. Then again, his father and Izayoi were also living.

"I've got a couple of hours free time Kagome, would you like me to bring you anything, or stay and talk. You shouldn't really be moving around yet, but you must be pretty bored doing nothing but lying there. When you're completely better I'll give you a tour of the castle. You'll like the castle, it's really big and easy to get lost, but everything in it is beautiful."

"I'll like that Izayoi, thanks. Seeming as you offered, I could actually do with a bath, are there any hot springs around?"

"This is a Lord's castle Kagome, we can done better than that, I can help you down to the bath house."

"A bath house!"

"Our very own."

"That... must be nice," she settled for, at a loss for words, you get told something like that and what are you meant to say?

Izayoi called for a servant from the corridor, he looked to be another Inu demon, and she had him take Inuyasha back to his room so she could assist her friend. She helped Kagome out of bed and they walked slowly, Izayoi's arm under hers, practically holding her. She half dragged, half carried Kagome to the bedroom door and they made it three paces down the corridor before they both had to stop. Without Izayoi holding her, Kagome collapsed onto the ground in a heap. They couldn't help but laugh a little at their own helplessness but felt a little bit apprehensive at just how they were going to get down to the bath house.

It was in this heap on the ground though that Inutaisho found them. Thankfully he made no comment, just raised one silver eyebrow. "I can explain," Izayoi said, followed by a fit of giggles from both girls at the position they were in. "You see, Kagome wants to go have a bath, so I told her that I'd take her to the bath house. But she's still rather unsteady on her feet so we... we only made it this far."

A merciful thing to do in the situation would have been to just walk on by and pretend like nothing happened, or maybe just put them out of their misery. Neither of those things happened, but he did not laugh. In fact, he seemed to grow rather stern; unlike the girls he obviously didn't see the blatant humour of the situation, something which was staring the two women in the face.

"You should not have gotten out of bed," he told her with a straight face, "You are obviously not well enough to do so." The laughter died on their lips as she listened to him speak it had that effect. While his words were quiet, his tone was deadly serious as were his facial expressions, why was he so severe all of a sudden. Was it just concern? Her parents had often gotten angry when she hurt herself out of stupidity, just because they loved her. It was kind if that was the reason.

"You should not try to over exert yourself, and do so soon after such a feat as well." Kagome did not fail to note that he was still just standing there, staring down at them. He did not even offer her or Izayoi a hand up; then again Izayoi had gotten to her feet, but was not strong enough to support an exhausted Kagome.

He turned to his mate, eyes softening as he looked at her, "and you should not be condoning such behaviour," he reprimanded. "In the future call a servant or myself to help you," and without another word he stooped and gathered the injured woman in his arms. "The destination was the hot springs yes?"

She let out a startled "EEK," as he hoisted her into the air but he made no response. He carried her with the care and grace as one would a lady, one arm supporting her back, the back of her knees over his other. She had been carried bridal style before, not by Inuyasha, it was a piggyback ride with him, but by Kouga, and she loved it. It made her feel important and loved – needed and cherished. Plus, it was not like she was going to complain in the presence of the gorgeous demon lord, it would make her seem ungrateful. His silver hair swished behind him as he walked.

Izayoi followed close behind, a smirk playing on her lips at the slightly startled expression on her new friend's face. Her mate never held anyone any different, he was especially fond of human girls, and treated them preciously. He would not dream of carrying one over his shoulder or under his arm. A trait his eldest son did not share, he had no qualms with carrying someone tucked to his side unceremoniously.

Izayoi helped Kagome bathe, taking a bath with her seeming as she was bound to get as wet as her anyway. She scrubbed her back first, while Kagome managed her front, not wanting another to wash her breasts and stomach, even if it was another female, there were some things you just wanted to do yourself.

She ducked in the water to get her hair wet and then Izayoi started massaging shampoo into her scalp. She paid meticulous attention to each long, black strand, well aware that when properly bathed and dressed she would likely look like a goddess. She left to let Kagome get changed into affine kimono she had picked out for her and when she returned to retrieve the girl she concluded her assumption had been correct.

Kagome looked a little uncomfortable in the fine kimono, looking as if it didn't belong on her form."Izayoi, are you sure it is alright for me to wear something so expensive?" She asked once she sighted her.

"Kagome are you being serious? You are an honoured guest here. You saved my life, and that of my mate and pup. Clothing you in something decent really is the least we can do for you, and you look ethereal, really."

She blushed. "Thanks Izayoi. I do like my own clothes though. Do you think someone could wash them for me? They are a little ripped from my trip in the river, but I should be able to fix them easily enough."

"I will see to it someone washes and fixes them for you. Now come on, do you think you can make it back to your room with me, or does Touga need to carry you?" She was not teasing her, but Kagome blushed anyway.

"I think I can handle it."

"You are going to be formerly introduced tomorrow and will meet Sesshoumaru. Well, I'll let you make of him what you will."


	6. Little Lord Ice Cube Sesshoumaru

**So, here is where we meet Sesshoumaru for the first time guys. He's a bit cold, hating and cringingly arrogant as per usual, and Kagome's reaction does not help matters any, but what can you expect from our little miko? Read, Review and Enjoy chapter 6 people! I am taking a break from the Lord of the West for a little while because chapter 28 is going so slowly, it just doesn't flow right to me.**

**Chapter 6 – Little Lord Ice Cube Sesshoumaru**

"Are you O.K?" Izayoi whispered out of the corner of her mouth as they walked side by side down the corridor, heading towards the great hall where Kagome was to be formally introduced as an honoured guest of the West. It was not like no one knew about her, there was not a soul left who had not heard her name and her 'valiant' deed, or the fact she was a miko. It seemed to be a package deal of knowledge not one person did not know about somehow – gossip got around she supposed. This was purely for formalities sake and to present to her a necklace or something to show she was protected by the household ext.

"I'm fine," Kagome lied as she walked by her side, holding onto Inutaisho's offered arm her walked on her left while Izayoi flanked her right. Usually he would have been escorting his mate, but she needed the help more and nobody seemed to care, so Kagome did not have to feel guilty about anything. Her voice was strained and it was obvious that she putting on an act, but she was strong enough to stand and walk – just. She was not going to have her pride wounded by being carried, and she did not want to delay a meeting that everyone wanted out of the way by spending another couple of days recuperating.

As she entered the great hall, the Lord of the West released her arm, leaving her clutching onto Izayoi instead. He went to stand at the front of the room, all chatter ceased and eyes turned towards him, before sliding to her. She greeted the eyes that met her with a smile, and she was either greeted by a look of indifference, a smile or a nod of respect. She did not get a single sneer, snort or glare, that she was pleased about. She did know whether this was because demons were not as prejudiced in this time, or whether she got the treatment she did because she had saved the lives of the royal family.

Izayoi passed Inuyasha to her, and he latched onto her chest immediately, just as happy and comfortable in her embrace as he was with his parents. He really was utterly adorable, with those tiny little fluffy ears, his bright smile and bubbly baby voice, amber eyes and cute little fangs. Kagome knew with a certainty that there was no way she would ever be able to sit him again, even when he pissed her off to the point that she was sent home in tears, or when he compared her inferior skills to that of a dead woman.

There was a knock on the huge double doors and they swung open to reveal what looked to be the most spoiled brat in the world. He was wearing regal white clothes that were immaculate, (identical to what he always wore really) and his amber eyes which were identical to that of his father's and brother's were slanted ever so slightly. He did not meet anyone's eyes with a dismissive gaze; he did not meet anyone's eyes at all for that matter. He ignored the ranks of guards facing him and walked with a steady pace straight the throne of his father and gave a slight bow, though it was obviously reluctant, and the show of respect was returned.

Kagome was surprised, she had never seen Sesshoumaru, or even imagined Sesshoumaru to show signs of submission to anyone, not even his own father. But then again, Inutaisho was his sire and a feared Lord, strong, his alpha, superior. Kagome suddenly felt rather awkward, she had not shown him any signs of respect or reverence yet, and perhaps she should really start before accidentally giving him cause to bring about her abrupt demise.

He dismissed Izayoi completely, but that was to be expected. According to him, Izayoi was just another human, a woman who meant nothing to him, she was not his mother or related in anyway. He did not bow to her and instead he turned to face Kagome with his stoic face. Kagome was suddenly uncertain how to react to this prince too. She was not afraid of the Western Lord, he had been very reasonable to her, but Sesshoumaru was another matter. She was not afraid, no harm would come to her, and she knew Inutaisho would ensure it if he had to, but it was still an uneasy situation for her, they were enemies.

With the pup cradled against her chest she turned and faced the demon in front of her. She knew he would not attack a baby, especially not with so many spectators, his parents some of the numbers, but she still felt the need to protect Inuyasha from him. Yet maybe the prejudices against the hanyou were not cemented yet. She already knew it was Sesshoumaru as she had been told that this was who she would be meeting. However, his striking appearance compared to the ice Lord she had grown to respect was startling.

Sesshoumaru, this was the Lord of the West she would meet again for the first time later – Kami that was a confusing thought. Maybe if she made a good impression now, maybe even try to get into a friendship start with him, then he wouldn't try to kill her! Then a new thought hit her: maybe she could even get the two brothers to get along! At least she could get them to be cordial with each other, no matter what your family problems are, drawing your sword is not the immediate response you should have to seeing your brother. Unfortunately both thoughts were knocked out of her head by the things that happened next.

He would be little Prince Ice Lord at the moment wouldn't he? She was half tempted to call him that too, little Lord Ice cube Sesshoumaru, it had a ring to it. Self restraint was a virtue that Kagome was born without, but instinct that kept her alive retrained her tongue. "It is pleasure to meet you, Prince Sesshoumaru," she said respectfully to the child with a low bow. He was a child too; he looked about, fifteen, sixteen years of age, in demon years of course, in human years, probably over two hundred already or something ridiculous.

Kagome took in his appearance slowly. He was as tall as her, with muscles almost as developed and defined as they were when she first met him... or... when she would meet him for the first time? His silver hair as beautiful and thick as she remembered cascaded down his back, reaching his slim waist. His dark cold eyes held little warmth or compassion except for his father from Kagome's view. His tattoos as Kagome could not help calling them were all as she remembered and made such a child look frightening with his purple lidded eyes and stripes down his perfect face. He was as gorgeous as he was deadly.

However, he was not wearing any spiked armour, that was reserved for his father and when he was in battle. Instead he wore simple hakamas and haori like he always did, and it looked as though something was missing without his swords by his side. Kagome knew better than to be reassured by this, he still had claws and fangs that could kill her in a heartbeat should he desire to so do even without using the poison stored within them.

Actually, looking at him as a child, even if he was a little threatening, he was rather cute; all children were to some extent. He probably talked and acted like an adult already and so she would try and be polite and not automatically talk down to him. No matter of rank, she did this to children, even if they were but one year younger than she was. This boy was at most two years younger than her, and although he looked and probably was far from innocent, she felt her heart go out to him. This boy was going to turn into the almost heartless ice lord Sesshoumaru? She would never have believed it.

The young Sesshoumaru inclined his head in recognition of her politeness, a ghost of a respectful smile on her lips. It was not a bow, or even a nod, but this was still the Sesshoumaru paying respect to her, another thing she would have never believed. In fact, him regarding her with anything other than disgust, or on a good day, dismissal, was nothing short of elating. She had laid on the sugar a little with her greeting, but in shortly to be dashed hopes in making a good impression she deemed it necessary. "It is also a pleasure to meet you, Lady Kagome. I heard that you assisted my father recently in a fight, I thank you." He was so charming and respectful, to her, a mere human too, that was certainly unexpected of the young demon.

Kagome raised her eyebrows at the young man; he talked about his father as if he were his son instead. His words did not seem forced out, but it was clear that he had been informed to say these words by another. There was no hint of disgust or anger towards her, a human, from the young human hating Lord of the West; however there was no warmth either. Perhaps there was a clean slate here for her to work on, she could get the young Lord to accept humans and not try to kill them. Perhaps she could get him to respect Hanyous as well and form a bond with his brother as family should.

She would try and form a bond, Sesshoumaru, the killing perfection would be a valuable asset to their team in the future, if only he would like his brother. That is what she was here for she had decided, to fix family problems, that was a nice quest, it was easy, simple, something she was sure she could actually succeed at. "Would you like to hold your brother, Prince Sesshoumaru?" There, that should do the trick. Newborns could not resist physical contact, finding the heartbeat of another particularly soothing. After holding the child once, not even this icy boy could resist him, he couldn't hate the pup, Inuyasha was too cute.

Sesshoumaru shuffled forward and peered down at the baby pup. He seemed curious; he had obviously never been this close to a baby before. Then he sniffed the bundle, and a sneer crossed his perfect features as he turned up his nose. "He's nothing but a filthy hanyou," he stated as he stepped back from them. "Why would I want anything to do with him? He taints the noble family blood." He actually said that with his father and Izayoi standing right there and with her facing him with his brother in her arms!

Kagome was silent for a moment in shock or his arrogant dismissal of his kin before her motherly protective instincts overtook her once more. How dare he talk to baby Inuyasha like that, he had not done anything to him to deserve such an insult! Time to dash any hope of them getting along. Sesshoumaru didn't deserve the love of a brother if he was going to treat him like that without getting to know him, he was only a baby!

'Arrogant, stuck up, little Lord Ice cube!' She fumed silently. She was not going to put up with that behaviour from the demon Lord, no matter how much she wanted for them all to get along. It was way past time someone put him in his place, she was not afraid to be the one to do so. She was not going to go easy on him either, he should know better at his age; obviously his father wasn't doing the job. Kagome did not feel the need to say anything to the prince to reprimand him just yet, it would do next to no good, no, in this case, actions would speak louder than words. He needed to be shamed, humiliation tactics with a demon this ego inflated would do wonders, he needed to be brought down.

Kagome's face deadpanned, doing a good impression of the demon she was facing, all emotion leaving save a flicker of anger and hatred, feelings that were so intense she could not hide them completely from her eyes. She cradled the pup closer to her chest in one arm, leaving her other one free. Lifting that one hand, she slapped him hard across the face, leaving a red handprint on his left cheek and a whole room shocked into silence.

The young prince's face was smacked to the side and he lifted his hand to touch the tender skin of his cheek. Kagome knew she probably hadn't hurt him physically; she wasn't able to hurt him physically. It was the principle that she had actually done it that would probably make the ice Lord want to kill her later. Still, this slap would let him know that he was in disgrace in her eyes. That would hopefully teach him to watch his mouth.

To her utter surprise, amongst a load of other emotions: Slight pain, embarrassment, shock and anger, there was confusion. This brat dared to be confused when it was so obvious what it was he had done wrong? It had been as extremely long time since someone last said 'no' to him, Kagome could see it. She decided to take on the role of giving the good scolding he deserved; everyone else was probably too scared to do so.

"Now you look here you obnoxious arrogant little pup," she hissed at him, spitting the 'p' of pup and shaking a forefinger at him. Her voice was angry and protective of the child in her arms; she was accepting no abuse from 'this Sesshoumaru' who was little more than a child himself. "How dare you speak to your own little brother that way? Where are your manners and your conscience, for goodness sake, he is only a baby!" She ranted as a mother would for her child, though she was not Inuyasha's mother, though she would gladly defend him as one. Then again, he was so immature sometimes it felt as though she were talking to a child.

"How dare you give him such a demeaning name when you do not even know him? So what if he's a hanyou, _I'm _only a ningen miko yet I managed to save him and his mother and assisted your father." To tell the truth she didn't like the way Sesshoumaru called Inuyasha a hanyou in the future either. He may be a half breed, that was his species, but he was still powerful and had beaten his brother more than once in battle.

"How would you like it if I called you a filthy demon and attacked you like a lot of mikos of this time would without a second thought, and said you taint life and should not live? You would be angry too and want to kill me if I said something like that, so don't you dare look confused at why I slapped you ice cube! I mean how do you expect you are going to get along if you are prejudiced against him from the very start? You are just begging for a feud to be created, and family should always be on the same side, no matter what! Don't you even think about giving me a smartass answer like 'I don't want us to get along.'"

She knew she was dead by this point, so she decided that if she was going to go, she might as well do it style and say all that she had to say. "If you insult Inuyasha, Izayoi, or me again, Kami help me pup I will kick you into the middle of next week! Do I make myself clear Sesshoumaru?" Her voice had escalated to a shout while ranting and she sounded like a strict middle aged woman, she sounded like her mother when she told her and Souta to stop fighting. But with her little pup cradled to her chest, she couldn't have cared less. When standing in the great hall of the Western Lands, insulting and slapping the heir who had tried to kill her before – would try to kill her soon, sounding 45 was the least of her worries.

The room was dumbstruck, especially the young prince of the West as he stood and stared at her, his emotions carefully concealed behind a stoic mask, but not quite as prominently as she remembered he will do later. With a hand still clutching his cheek, he blindly nodded as he stepped away from her and the pup, his face red from embarrassment and anger, her handprint though was fading. Then all that could be heard was a loud chuckle, and then the sound of applause coming from the one and only Inutaisho.

"Miko, you truly are an enigma!" The Lord laughed, walking over to her, coming up behind the girl and placing a hand on her shoulder. "You are the first person to speak to my son like that, with no hesitation either! I am rather impressed at your forwardness, not many people would have the guts." Not many would have lived afterwards to tell the tale either; did she truly not fear 'the killing perfection' at all?

"I merely did what had to be done," Kagome replied in a cooler and calmer tone now she was addressing the demon Lord, he did deserve her respect. "It has clearly been a while since the young prince received a scolding."

Sesshoumaru chose that time to join the little conversation, "and let me assure you, that it shall be the last!" He snapped angrily in his adolescent voice. Coming from a child it sounded endearing rather than threatening, Kagome only smiled in response. "Do not act in that way towards me Miko or talk down to me in that patronizing tone as if I am some child, I have lived for five centuries. (_Which would make him fifteen in demon years!) _I have seen, and experienced more than you ever will, so don't treat me like a pup, human!" With that, he stormed out of the room like a teenager would after throwing a tantrum, even slamming the door on his way out. Kagome again could only smile lovingly at him as he went. This was a side she never thought she would get a chance to see, and wanted to maybe get to know.

"Tell me, Kagome," Inutaisho started in an inquiring tone as he stood behind her with his hand placed on her shoulder in a tight grip more than a casual placing of a hand, he was confused and angry at her knowledge again, she could sense it. "How did you know that the name I had chosen for my child was Inuyasha?"

Kagome froze, she should have thought of that! "Purely, intuition," she said, it was the first thing that came to mind.

The hand on her shoulder tightened, letting her know that she was not going to go anywhere until he had an answer.

Realizing this, Kagome sighed deeply and wondered what to say. She couldn't tell him the truth, not yet at least. "I am sorry," she said, there was not much else to say, "but I am afraid I simply can't tell you everything right now, it is all too much to take in at once. Let me work it all out myself before I try and talk about it, please."

"I have waited long enough."

"I don't know whether I can."

The only response she got was an order which left no room for argument. "This evening, after dinner, I will send for you, and you will explain."


	7. Explanations

**I've only watched up to episode 85, so there are things I have not included I am sure that probably should be. Inutaisho's reactions are a little unexpected, but I could not have him get all angry over something yet to happen as you will see when you read, even though I wanted him to have a little rant, it will have to wait. Those of you who have read my other fanfiction know that I portray Inutaisho as a bit of a dick, but you are free to your own views of him. This will be a bit more Sess/Kag from next chapter.**

**Chapter 7 – Explanations **

Dinner was awkward to say the least. This was the first time that she had joined the family for the meal in the evening and she was all up for it being the last time too. She enjoyed being treated like a member of the pack and being bowed to and served like a lady; it was awfully flattering after all even if it did make her blush down to the roots of her hair because of her discomfort. Once you get down to the bare bones of the position, she was not a lady, and did not expect or even feel alright with being addressed or treated as one.

She enjoyed the perks of being an honoured guest of the Lord of the West all the same. She had been given a nice room, a beautiful kimono, was treated with the upmost respect and could see herself making firm friends with some of the servants and higher youkai of the court. The meal too was exquisite seeming as it was something prepared by the Lord's finest cooks for the royal family. she had a horrid thought that she might be served raw meat like the demons, but she reminded herself that they were cooking for Izayoi and she was a human too, who, like Kagome, preferred her meat when it was not still actually bleeding.

No, the most uncomfortable thing about dinner was the fact Sesshoumaru was there. She had thought he would refuse to look at her for the whole duration and she was fine with that. Being ignored was perfectly fine with her; it was gracious even, for him. He certainly could not kill her, after all, his father was around to prevent him, but those looks were almost capable of it. Kagome was surprised the intensity of his gaze alone did not melt her into a little miko puddle, it seemed as though he was trying to.

Those looks were of pure evil and plotting. He barely touched his food, and those amber eyes did not leave her face once. She did her best to ignore him and focus on eating her dinner, but she wanted to throw her soup in his face and tell him to get over himself. She had wounded his prise pretty badly and he deserved it. His pride should not be the most important thing to him, thinking about his priorities, it should be his brother – her brother was the most important person in the world to her.

Of course, what lay after dinner was worse, Sesshoumaru not even the worst part of the evening. Straight after she had been summoned to the Lord's personal chambers – his personal chambers for crying out loud! Sure, he had a mate and did not have anything hentai in mind, he just wanted her to start explaining, but seriously? Just being in the humungous space made her squirm uncomfortably and she had to tell herself to calm down before she could bring herself to start talking to him. She was determined however to take this, like everything else in her stride and thought she dealt with it rather well.

Seeming as he sat down on the only chair in the room, and that left Kagome with the option of the floor or the bad. She did not want to sit on the bed, it seemed wrong, not exactly suggestive, but, it could be read that way. The floor was not that a bad option anyway, it was covered with a very nice carpet that was thick and soft, but she was not lowering herself to that station either. She was not going to grovel on the floor while she told the Inutaisho her tale which was so fantastic he would think she was crazy.

Without a break in her stride she plonked herself on his gigantic bed which would easily sleep five Kagomes, but in actual fact only had to sleep one demon Lord and his mate. He raised one eyebrow marginally while she shuffled back so she was propped up against the mountain of stupendously soft and plump pillows. If that wasn't suggestive at least a little bit she did not know what was, it was all unintentional mind. She almost pouted because she was the only one she knew who could not raise one eyebrow in that sexy inquisitive way that everyone else could. That would have just added to the effect though and she managed to suppress it.

What the hell was she doing? She did not need her tale for the Inutaisho to label her as crazy, she already was. She was not attracted to him, she knew that, he was too old for her, was mated and had a son whom she would fall in love with give or take a century or two. He was a handsome being with that waist length silver hair, the blue stripes, the amber eyes, and that pale skin and all the muscles too. He had a complete gentleman personality to match, was ferocious in battle, but kind and caring to her when she was injured. He was a warrior too, he lived for the fight and killed his opponents, and that was everything she was against as a miko, but even the armour and clothes added to his beauty.

"So, what would you like to know?" She asked him with a big false smile, when she felt an entire uncomfortable minute tick by. She had been in that room for sixty silent seconds and to be frank it was wearing on her, and those amber hypnotic eyes were going to melt her, or she would get lost in them. He had to talk soon, or she had to, and Kami would help her to not babble, or she would not ever be able to start. She did not know how to begin, so it would be better for him to ask her questions and she would answer most of them as best as she could. She did not guarantee she would have an answer for them all.

Inutaisho took a deep breath and shifted forward in his seat so he closer to her. "There are a lot of things I would like to know miko," he started.

Kagome cut him off. "NO!" She all but shouted at him, causing him to shrink back in his chair in surprise. When he looked at her questioningly in a way that bordered on a warning as she had just shouted at the Western Lord, Kagome tripped over her own words to explain. "I mean, please – p – please don't c-call me that," she stuttered at the sudden heat in his amber eyes. she did not apologise for the outburst though.

"If you want me to answer your questions then call me by my name. My name is Higurashi Kagome, you know that, so call me Kagome. It's not that hard," she ranted on, irritation building up, all those damn youkai were the same. "You are just like Inuyasha, calling me miko, don't call me that or any of the other things he is fond of like wench or even bitch on a bad day. Or my personal favourite – my half brother's wench."

"I'll leave you to realize you just perked my curiosity even more."

A heartbeat later she almost swore so loudly the whole kingdom would have heard it. Her and her cursed big mouth, when would she learn to just keep quiet? She would never learn to keep quiet; she was too much of an idiot.

"I have many questions for you, but that will not be the best way to go about things. You have a story, I can tell you do. Tell me your story, miss anything out or lie and I will smell it, and then most of my questions will be answered."

"Where to start," she groaned, covering her face with her hands.

"The beginning is usually a good place."

There was no humour in his voice or twinkle in his eyes. She agreed that the joke was so lame it wasn't really worth it, but it was as if he didn't even get he was almost funny. Strangely enough though, the advice was helpful.

"I guess my story starts on my 15th birthday in my family shrine, in a large village called Tokyo which is not actually that far from here." Well Tokyo was not a village, but towns and cities were not common in this time. "You see, you know I am not from around here, well, actually I am, but I'm not from around now. My home is 500 – actually I think it is more like 700 years in the future, and the bone eater's well is the portal that takes me from my home to the past."

So far, so good, he seemed to be taking it all in rather well and submissively. She had expected a snort of disbelief or something by now. "On my 15th birthday I was dragged down the well by a centipede demon, and I ended up in the feudal era, 200 hundred years from now, 500 years in my past. I didn't know youkai were real at that point, they were a thing of fantasy to me and I thought mikos didn't exist either and nothing but a part of my grandfather's overactive imagination, I never dreamt I'd actually be one."

This was her just justifying herself and why she didn't kill the youkai herself or why she kept missing the bird with her arrow. She was a good miko now, better than Kikyou and was a crack shot with her bow and arrows, although she couldn't use any other weapon. "There I first met Inuyasha; he looked to be about how old Sesshoumaru is now and was pinned to a tree with a sacred arrow shot by the woman he loved. Anyway, when I appeared, he awoke from his fifty year long sleep and I released him from the God Tree."

Here she stopped; she did not know whether she should tell him about the jewel of four souls. It was not shattered yet, she was not even sure if it existed. She did not even know whether she even had the scar yet where it was ripped out of her side. "Have you heard of the Shikon jewel?" she asked, not knowing whether to tell him this information.

"There are scrolls – I thought it to be myth."

"Well the jewel very much exists and all youkai are after it for the power it can give you. I am the Shikon miko, of course I thought all of this was myth too and I did not know that then. And the jewel was in my side, it was stolen by the centipede, but Inuyasha killed it and it was stolen by another demon. It was carrying the jewel away in its beak and in order to stop it from gaining the ultimate power it could with the completed jewel, I shot it with an arrow and the jewel was shattered into a thousand shards, each shard stupendously powerful.

Since then I have been travelling with him to collect the shards and kill our enemy, the evil hanyou Naraku. Along the way we have gathered some travelling companions who help us to gather the shards and want revenge on Naraku. I adopted a kitsune cub called Shippou whose parents were killed by the jewel shard enhanced thunder brothers. We met a lecherous monk called Miroku who wants to kill Naraku to get rid of the wind tunnel which he was cursed with. If he does not kill Naraku, he will get sucked in by it. We met Sango, a beautiful demon slayer and her fire cat Kirara, and that is our group.

We travel around and help all who need it while gathering jewel shards and fighting Naraku. We have had a couple of run-ins with Sesshoumaru too. The first time I met him was when he and Inuyasha were-" she broke off. She could not carry on and say that to this man whom she had begun to quite like.

"Go on, Kagome," he insisted.

"I will," she conceded, "but do not say anything, however bad it may sound. O.K. The first time I met him was in your tomb when he and Inuyasha were fighting over Tetsusaiga. Neither of them could pull it out the pedestal but somehow I could. For this, Sesshoumaru sprayed me with his poison to kill me but for some reason I did not die, I think the sword protected me. Well I got out and I gave it to Inuyasha who used it to slice off Sesshoumaru's left arm, well, it was his left forepaw at the time, he had transformed to kill us quicker.

We've run into him a few times and each time he has tried to kill us and steal Tetsusaiga, but eventually I think he came to realize Inuyasha needed it more. He has even assisted as a couple of times by assisting in defeating an evil panther youkai with us. We have had a lot of adventures together, Inuyasha and I and the rest of our group, with me jumping back and forth between timelines, leading a double life.

For some reason though, when I jumped into the well this time, aiming to go home, I ended up here. I saved you from the villagers, so you will probably be alive in the feudal era instead of dead, and maybe Sesshoumaru won't try to kill Inuyasha when he sees him this time around. Kami only knows what fate has in store for me here in this time."

He took everything in with a nod and then opened the door connecting her room with his and bid her goodnight, dismissing her. She did not question it, giving him time to think about what she'd said and the family feud that was already brewing, she could tell that it was this that was troubling him so – she wondered how she knew.

"Goodnight," she offered in return as she left him to his thoughts, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked.

"I'll send someone for you," he nodded, "thank you, Kagome."

She smiled as she entered her room, and as soon as her head hit the pillow she said goodbye to the day and embraced the sleep night brought.


	8. Lessons in friendship

**Okay, so here is chapter 8 – I hope you enjoy, it really becomes a Sess/Kag now, but romance will be slow, though friendship quick. Sesshoumaru is still possessive even as the child he is now, it's just how he roles. **

**Chapter 8 – Lessons in friendship**

Kagome felt guilty about what she had done to Sesshoumaru after two days being given to her to think about it. He hated Hanyous and he probably hated his father and his brother for the death of his mother, for his father going for a human woman. Sesshoumaru probably had a tough childhood, being groomed to be heir, not much motherly love and tenderness in being reared before she passed away. He struggled all his life to fit the role that had been carved out for him since he was named – a killing perfection.

She felt sorry for him, and she could not hate him, no matter what he did. She knew it was dangerous to feel for him any sort of emotion, it was not like you were going to get any feeling in response. Yes, her pity was going to come back and bite her in the arse, she knew that, she felt a great deal of it for him all the same.

Feeling resigned, Kagome knew there was really only one thing left for her to do. She had to make peace with the ice prince. She was apprehensive about how to go about this seeming as she had wounded his pride in front of not only his father but the whole youkai court. She was not sorry about that, he needed to be humiliated, but she was sorry for going so far as to strike him. Once you invade someone's personal space to that level, even if it didn't really hurt much, you have crossed a barrier, and she'd done so with Sesshoumaru.

Inhabiting the room next to the Inutaisho's, meant that he was the first person she saw in the mornings, later she learnt she was the first too who saw him. She had thought that he and Izayoi shared the bed and the room, that is what mates do after all, but later she learnt this was not to be. Youkai sharing bed meant that sex was going to take place that night. Seeming as they were not up for, or at least did not wish for such actions to take place every night, she had her own room which was also next to the Inutaisho's.

He noticed something was up the second he laid his eyes on her. He had lately grown rather skilled at seeing straight through her just as she had become strangely attuned to his expressions. He could almost tell what she was thinking with a simple glance. That morning was no different. He got up at about the same time as she; demons did not need as much sleep as humans, so his reasons if it was not coincidence were unknown. With a look at her face he smiled one of his small warm smiles and said, "Don't be too easy on him."

She saw the ice prince every day, at meal times, family socializing times, which she had been forced to take part in, and just running into each other in the gardens. She quickly learnt that the garden was Sesshoumaru's favourite place. This pleased Kagome greatly because it meant that they had something in common, it was her favourite place to spend time in as well. It was beautiful. She was surprised she liked them as much as she did though; she would have never put the prince down as someone who liked such natural beauty – or cared.

She was unsurprised to find him there, sitting at the edge of the small lake the family owned, sulking. He occasionally splashed the water with a hand, frightening the Kio fish that came to the surface, or just sighed in a self pitying way. He had been giving her the silent treatment for two days now, and while she still believed he was an arrogant little lord ice cube, maybe she had jumped the gun in striking him like that.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome inquired, settling down beside him. Kagome knew she had already been accepted by him in a way. He must have noticed her presence many paces away, and decided to let her approach him.

"What do you want." He snapped.

"I just want to apologise to you for striking you," she said in her softest and most motherly voice. "I realize I may have disrespected you and not fully taken into account your feelings or your past and I believe that violence is never the answer. Despite your insulting words, I was in the wrong and should not have jumped the gun to do something like that so quickly and recklessly. For that, I am sorry and ask your forgiveness. While I assist in raising Inuyasha, I am going to be here a while, and I do hope we can become friends."

It was obvious her little speech had shocked the young Sesshoumaru and sent him thinking about her words, his words and what should transpire between them now, it was a new thing for him. "You apologise for what you did?"

Kagome nodded.

"I accept."

"What about being friends?"

"Friends?" He looked doubtful.

"I hope so. I think I am going to be here for a while, and though I realize that we may have not got off on the right foot, I would like to put it behind us."

What he said next really threw her unsteady. "I have never really had a friend before. I have a friendly relationship with the princes of the other kingdoms, but that is more comradeship and alliance more than friends. I am on good terms with my tutors and business relations and elders respect me as they should. I am not sure what having or being a friend really entails, so I am not sure how to answer."

Kagome was shocked, but then again, he was so cold. "Well," she said with a smile, "perhaps I could teach you."

"Teach me how to be a friend?"

"Then you can make lots of friends of your own and you will be loved and respected when you are older and Lord."

"Hn."

'That is the first thing I am getting rid of.' "I will take that as confirmation. We are now friends. Rule number one, is not think about it, or worry about it. Friendship is natural and should feel natural and comfortable."  
>He looked amused, like he was an adult indulging a child with a game. Her bubbly attitude was not helping her case any even thought they looked the same age and she was the one who was tutoring him. "I should feel comfortable when around you? I have never let my guard down or felt free around another before. I have been schooled to never shown people my emotions around others, it could be seen as a weakness. I have always been solitary. I do believe that total relaxation around someone else may take time to accustom myself to. What are the other rules Miss Higurashi?"<p>

Kagome chuckled. "These are not rules really. This is not a task or assignment Sesshoumaru or even a game, this is a friendship. Remember rule number one. Relax! You are not being judged, friends do not judge each other. Act around me as you would as you were by yourself. Do not feel the need to make conversation just because you are with another. When friends are together, you cannot feel ignored or left out, because you enjoy company. Silence is good; it is peaceful and not awkward. So just chill out."

"Chill out?"

"It's an expression," she waved it off.

He settled beside her, his tense muscles that had stiffened when she got to be so close to him loosened again as if obeying.

"Rule number two, is no honorific. I call you Sesshoumaru, and you call me Kagome. Close friends come up with nicknames in time. For example, if we became really close, I could call you Sessh, or Sesshy without you attempting to end my life. And you in turn would call my Kags or Kaggy, actually no, they sound horrible. Can I call you fluffy kun though?"

His death glare made the request die on her lips. He was fluffy with that tail over his shoulder like that, begging to be petted, but maybe Fluffy kun was a bit too far. She did after all call Buyo fluffy kins, which was just too close. Sesshoumaru was most definitely a dog, not a cat, and definitely not an overweight pet.

"In friendship there is no respect?" He really was not getting it.

"NO! This goes back to rule number one again. Once you are relaxed around someone you have no need for the honorific, it is a sign of friendship. The respect is there, and meant all the more, along with so much else."

"Tell me more." He sounded honestly intrigued now.

"In friendship, the third rule is trust and confidentiality. You can tell me whatever you want to let out. Whenever you need to let something out just tell me and be rest assured I will listen to you. If you need advice I will do my best to give it, and if you tell me a secret, then you can be sure I will never pass it on. But at the same time, do not feel forced, it is not a requirement, is an option I guess, an upside for friendship."

"The same for me."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru."

"Very well, Kagome."

"I believe we will become the best of friends."

"Hn, that remains to be seen."

"Don't be so pessimistic."

"What else do friends do?"

"Well, usually they find something in common they like doing and then they make it a general thing that they do together. Soon it turns into something that the other would not dream to do alone, it is a group activity."

"So, we should find something we both like?"

"Correct, my fine pupil."

Sesshoumaru smirked and then he said, "do go ahead and try to find a common thing between us, I do not think that you enjoy any of the things that I like doing."

"Oh? Try me."

"I enjoy fighting, training myself in the art of swordsmanship and hand to hand combat so I may become a strong leader as Lord of the Western lands, and be able to defeat my enemies. Bloodshed is a natural part of my training too, so you are warned." Sesshoumaru looked triumphant, damn it, this was not something he had to win – it was a conversation.

Kagome grinned back; she guessed it could be a game, and he was going to have to try harder than that. "I enjoy fighting and training too, though not in the same way. I enjoy training archery, and honing my miko powers so I may help my friends defeat our common enemy. Oh, and blood does not bother me in the slightest although by nature I am a healing miko and not a warrior, but I have been showered in plenty."

Sesshoumaru looked shocked, but then he smiled at her, and it was not a smirk, he gave her a real smile, they did have something in common after all.

"That is not all," Kagome continued, feeling as though she were on a role now, "you and I both like spending time in the gardens, primarily by the lake. You and I both like arguing and proving our points, driving others insane. We both care about our appearance and often make sure that we are clean and groomed at all times."

Her attempt at humour was lost with the stoic inuprince. He obviously needed more time before he realized when she was trying to make a joke.

"What is the price for this friendship?"

Kagome grit her teeth – he really was not getting this damn it, he was really grating on her nerves. But then again, maybe there was a price to pay in a way. "It's all part of the package deal – loyalty, honesty, trust – that's a major one. Depending on the depth of your friendship you would go to different lengths to protect it and the friend. I do everything I can for my friends, I would die for my friends, but I do not ask that of a new one."

"Honour would bind me to do that, if I am to take friendship seriously, I believe I can swear to that too, not that I could die easily."

"I would do it because I want to, because I love my friends and wish to save them, not because honour or anything else binds me."

"I just said I would protect you with my life Kagome, there is no need for you to still sound so aggravated with me."

"Thank you Sesshoumaru, it really does mean a lot to me that you are doing this, I want us to get along and be friends."

"As for spending time with one another, we can practice in the dojo together," Kagome suggested. "I know you go there every morning and evening, practising for a couple hours at a time. I'm usually busy with Inuyasha in the mornings, but he is usually sleepy in the evenings so I can leave him to himself and we can practice together."

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru muttered with a sour note to his tone. "You could say that is another thing we have in common."

Kagome was sure that this was not intended as a joke, he sounded genuinely bitter,but she laughed a little anyway, she guessed he was.


	9. Baby talk

**So, here is the next update. Hope you enjoy. Do not forget to review!**

**Chapter 9 – Baby talk**

Kagome could not keep the smile off her face as she bounced Inuyasha up and down on her knee. She gained a delighted giggle from him whenever she picked him up and lifted him higher than usual before bringing him back to her lap. She and Izayoi had been playing with and tending to Inuyasha all morning and he soaked up the attention like a – like a child really, he was exactly the same in a couple of centuries. Sesshoumaru had referred to him as a child before that soaked up any form of affection like a sponge.

Kagome picked him up and twirled him round, making him laugh before bringing him to her face. They rubbed nosed together and they both loved it and laughed together – what simple joy a young child could bring to your life. She truly would never understand those who did not like children, they were such bundles of pure joy and happiness and innocence. They found humour in everything and looked up to everybody with wide and adoring eyes. Everything about a young child screamed at you to love them, with Inuyasha he had the added bonus of furry doggy ears and puppy fangs to go along with the whole image.

She had learnt from her studies that this was in fact a survival trait handed to babies from evolution. Because they could not survive on their own, they relied on the love handed to them that they will be protected. Therefore they rely on the people coming into contact with them and elicit 'caregivers' such as burbling, laughing, crying and having pudgy cheeks. All those things send anyone with a heart, and every female even without a heart, running to the child, petting and fawning over its cuteness and taking care of it.

Darwin was a genius, and whoever's idea it was to give babies such a female attracting allure was a genius too. It certainly worked for Inuyasha, and it apparently never stopped working for him, even when he became a teen, he was still helpless and every female around him, hopeless. The cuteness had saved his life already once, scored him two girls who took a romantic interest in him, gained adoration from dozens and saved him copious amounts of 'sits' on a daily basis. It was true, she would have normally sat Inuyasha twice as much as she usually did, but one look at that sad little face and she could not resist.

The way those impossibly golden eyes glinted in the sun was illegal, she swore it. They widened and narrowed to impossible shapes and sizes to express every emotion ever felt by anyone all at the same time. That silver hair that made him look like a puppy all the more when combined with that pale skin which never got sunburnt or tanned for some reason. Those ears – or those adorable little ears, no onna could resist them all knew it; she had to touch them, like, all the time just because. They way they perked up at the sound of her voice, and flattened against his head when he was upset or in shame – it was adorable.

"How's my widdle Inuwasha washa today den," she cooed at him, nuzzling his nose once more with hers, than stopped and frowned. For the first time she had actually heard what she said, she usually didn't bother, especially when talking to a child. She usually just let her mouth run wild and say what it will regardless of what that may actually be. Deceitful mouth, just because she was not always paying attention to what it spouted did not give it permission to run so wild with what passed those stupid lips.

Where had those words come from? She certainly had not said them, she would never say that, it was not her, it was too – motherly. Well she was a motherly person; perhaps it was just motherly instinct then. If it was, she was Shippou's mother – adoptive mother, she did not speak to him like that all the time without realizing it did she? She thought she always paid attention when it came to little Shippou, it didn't happen that she had said such things to him too, and on a daily basis, she would never be able to look him in the eye again.

What about when speaking to Inuyasha for that matter? She had always viewed him as immature and lower than her, she had not spoken to him in such a way before either had she? She had never actually thought of him a baby, despite his frequent tantrums, and babies cannot protect people from full sized youkai by throwing blades made of their own life blood. The scenario admittedly seemed unlikely, but then again this was her she was talking about here, practically anything was possible if that said 'thing' is humiliating.

The group had not said anything but that did nothing to lessen her fears. Perhaps they had not noticed her slip ups, they all had other things to worry about. Miroku had to worry about his cursed right hand; while Sango had to worry about his cursed left one. Shippou preoccupied himself in mountains of candy whenever the opportunity presented itself and that left her to talk to Inuyasha like he was a toddler. Coming to think of it like that it was really no surprise that he kept running to Kikyou, hell she would do the same thing.

She looked around herself and confirmed that she was indeed alone in the small room with the baby Inuyasha. Once she had finalized this information she turned back to the pup and pretended she was having a conversation with him. "You don't mind me calling you Inuwasha and things like that, do you my ickle washa? No you don't, no you don't."

He giggled, not seeming to mind the insulting tone one bit. Well, he was only a baby; he did not understand what she was saying. Then suddenly he reached up with his baby hands and pulled the neck of her top down. He seemed to be a little confused and aggravated about the white bra in the way of his mouth and the object of his desire. He had never seen a bra cup before, so it was to be expected. And she knew he was only a baby, but honestly, they had been through this before, the little hentai. He was not going to get any milk from her no matter how many times he tried or how hard he sucked.

"Izayoi," she called to the young woman who had popped out of the room for a few minutes to get some food for the two of them.

"Yes Kagome?"

"Inuyasha is hungry again."

Izayoi came back into the room with a disbelieving expression on her face. "Again! Honestly that young man, I fed him like two hours ago. Are you sure?"

Inuyasha tightened his grip on her boob and it seemed rather hard to get him to let go of her. He started to whimper when he still was not fed.

Kagome winced from the pressure on her breast; he had one powerful suck on him for a seven day old pup. "I'm sure Izayoi."

"I think he should be on solid food if he needs to be fed so often."

"Solid? He's only a week old?" Kagome protested.

"Dogs age differently. Animal dogs reach their sexual maturity within a year although they're not fully grown and then remain really active and relatively young until they suddenly just get really old and die in about a month."

"Dog demons and hanyous are similar."

When she had fed Inuyasha again, she left the room to go and have a lie down, leaving her alone with the infant again. Kagome had kindly let Inuyasha's biological mother be the one to tend to him in the middle of the night and breast feeding took a lot out of her as well, she needed lots of rest. Kagome had accepted the fact she was the boy's mother too, but she wanted to see Sesshoumaru. "You know baby, I think you need to spend more time with your father, get some bonding going." She had the mental image of the Lord of the West bathing him, changing him, tucking him in at night and stopped imagining things.

She picked up Inuyasha, holding him against her hip and went in search of the neglecting father, time he started to look after the kid too. She was not aware of the fact that the only reason a wet nurse was not looking after him instead of Izayoi was because his mate had point blank refused to have the responsibility for her child taken from her. He would never dream of looking after the baby's needs by himself, it was a female's job. To Kagome though, make pride meant nothing, it was not a good enough excuse for her to be taken into account.

After three minutes of looking for the demon Lord she gave up and decided to ask someone. She turned around a corner and just missed bashing into a servant in the corridor. She stumbled with the baby in her arms but kept upright. "Oh hey, I'm sorry," Kagome muttered, looking into the face of the cutest teenager she had ever seen. He had bright blue eyes and short spiky brown hair and a very round face with perfect tanned skin.

"K-Kouga?"

The head shot up, eyes meeting hers. "Um, no, but I'm part of his pack. I'm his second to alpha actually." He sounded very proud of himself.

"You – you're a hanyou aren't you – like Inuyasha?"

He looked downtrodden.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners? I am Kagome as you probably know, what is your name?"

"Akito, milady."

"Just call me Kagome, Akito, it's nice to meet you. I wonder if you could help me. I'm looking for Lord Touga, you wouldn't happen to know where he is would you?"

"He is in a meeting, not to be disturbed."

She deflated, looked like she was stuck with the kid. She was meeting Sesshoumaru in the dojo in half an hour too; Inuyasha would just have to come along.

When she arrived in the dojo, Sesshoumaru was already there, twirling a staff over his head and bringing it down on his opponents. He was fighting three armed soldiers at once, and thrashing them all with nothing but a big stick, he was only about 15/16 anyway. "You'll want to see this Inuyasha," she said, turning him around so he could see, "this is your big brother, and you are going to grow up to be just as strong as him."

Inuyasha, of course, made no reply.

Once Sesshoumaru defeated the opponents he was unsurprised to find Kagome sitting there. He was irked however that although she had kept her promise and come to meet him, she had brought the whelp along with her. Had not she said she would come along, and leave the annoying hanyou he was forced to call brother with his mother? He had reinforced her promise with an order; he had _ordered _her to come alone.

All frustration left him when he got closer, near enough to hear what she was saying to the half breed pup. Confusion entered him instead, she was an educated girl, she had told him so on one of the many evenings they had spent in each other's company. So why on earth was she talking – well, speaking rubbish in such a fashion.

"So, little Inu – poo, don't you think Sessy weshy is amazing? You are going to grow up to be just like him. yes you are little baby kins, you are going to be just to be just like him." she tickled his stomach and laughed with him as if she was being tickled too. Finally she looked up and caught Sesshoumaru's shocked expression and her laughter died on his lips. 'Had he caught her calling him Sesshy weshy?' Please no.

His horrified expression told her all she needed to know. She decided to take this mortifying situation in her stride. After all, it was not just her that was embarrassed in this case; it was both of them, so she should grab the chance of take control. "Well hello there Sesshy weshy, Inuyasha and I came to see you early."

"Inuyasha is only a child, he cannot decide on anything by himself, and I do remember instructing you to come alone and not to bring him with you."

"I never do what I'm told."

"So I see."

"So never try to again."

"Very well, but I may I strongly request you to not call me with those derogative names? It is bad enough you are subjecting one of my blood with such language, but he is a child and cannot understand the insult it brings to his name. I for one am old enough to put a stop to it, I shall not stand to be spoken to in such a manner."

He knew he had spoken in a manner that was a little harsher than it needed to be and deserved the words that came next. What he had not been expecting though was for it to hurt the way it did – maybe this was what the girl had been talking about a couple of days ago when she said it hurt when a friend ignored you.

She looked down trodden, "fine then, Sesshoumaru sama."

"No formalities are needed between friends."

"I am just addressing you with the respect you deserve."

"Why is the whelp still here?"

"HE IS NOT WHELP! HE IS INUYASHA! YOU'RE BABY BROTHER! GROW A HEART YOU ICE CUBE!"

"DO NOT YELL AT ME MIKO!" He snarled back.

"YOU'RE YELLING TOO NOW! ANH HOW MANY TIME DO I HAVE TO SAY IT TO YOU INUS 'TILL YOU GET IT! DONT CALL ME MIKO! IT'S KAGOME! KA-GO-ME!" She shifted Inuyasha off her lap and onto the bench beside her to stand up and face him.

Sesshoumaru reckoned a change of subject was in order. "Come on Kagome, let us spar," he suggested, tossing his staff aside. He did not need weapons when facing her; he did not want to accidentally hurt her badly.

"Gladly!" She growled and flew at him. They landed on the floor together as she knocked him over, her on top of him, hands clenched around his throat.


	10. The air between us

**So, here we get a look into Sesshoumaru's heart in a way, and Touga comes back on the scene too. Sesshoumaru is not in love with Kagome yet, I have to make that clear now, so sorry, but I don't like people falling in love so quickly. The way Sesshoumaru feels for Kagome is platonic, the way Inuyasha feels for Kagome in the anime. He loved her a s a deep friend and is jealous of other people getting close to her, but romance will have to wait. I hope I portrayed this clearly enough in my writing. Sorry for the late update, and for those who care – 'Lord of the West' is going really slowly, it is giving my problems – read, review and enjoy.**

**Chapter 10 – The air between us**

Suddenly Kagome became aware that she was throttling nothing but air. She was, admittedly angry and crazy enough to want to try and kill the atmosphere but a feat such as that was beyond even her fury enhanced powers. The trouble was, with air, being what it was, it could not be restricted oxygen, and therefore could not be suffocated. In fact, it could not be killed in any sort of way at all, and despite her madness, she had to grudgingly admit that the air was useful and she needed it in order to survive anyway.

What was more, simple killing was not enough; she felt the insatiable need to hurt someone. But again, the air continued to thwart her plans by simply being what it was. The air was not alive and therefore it could not be killed. It did not have nerves and so could not be physically abused, and it had fewer feelings than Sesshoumaru so it could not be psychologically attacked either. Yet still it remained to be the one thing between her and her enemy, filling the void between the two bodies like a shield – biased bastard.

The air again it comes into play, being the only thing between her and the source of all her frustrations and anger. He was dangling in the air about a metre in front of her and... he was dangling in the air? She glanced downwards and sure enough, yep, his feet came into view about half a metre from the ground. He was being held up in their by the scruff of his neck as one would hold a kitten, or a puppy. As if on instinct he had curled up into the foetal position on his captors grasp and gone limp as you were supposed to.

He was not happy about his situation one bit though, any fool could see that, he probably wanted to kill her as much as she wanted to finish him off. After all, nobody in their right mind attacked Sesshoumaru and expected to live, and her for his part, lived up to his name. He did not take well to offence, and slapping him was not a good way to kick-start a good relationship. Even after they became friends of sorts, five days after initiating the 'truce' as Sesshoumaru liked to call it, trying to strangle him was not a good way to pursue their relationship.

Yes, he looked at her angrily; well things were too bad for him. This left things free for her to move in for the kill now he was restrained. However, when she tried to advance on him she found she did not move any further, and with one glance down she found she was being restrained too. Her legs dangled about half a metre in the air just like his making it impossible to get to the dojo flaw and rush at Sesshoumaru. She growled at the irritating predicament as she finally realized what was happening to the two of them.

She and Sesshoumaru were being prevented from charging at each other by being help up in that blasted air and away from one another by the scruffs of their necks. Inutaisho was the one who was restraining them, and Kagome had to admit that this was unsurprising when you think about. He was the only one strong enough to hold them both in the air, one powerful miko, and the other a powerful youkai, one dangling helplessly in the air from each hand like some rag doll. What's more he could act as if the whole thing was nothing, to him, it probably was nothing, lucky omnipotent bastard, he was on the hit list straight after air just for that.

He was glaring at them with an expression that just shouted the words 'I am not amused', but he still looked as though he might start laughing any moment. There was also a hint of a... relieved expression on his stony face, hmm, Kagome could think of no reason as to why he should look relieved of all things to look, – it certainly wasn't over them fighting, that was what the queen Victoria expression was for.

He was giving her the brunt of the stony gaze, understandable seeming as she was the one who flew at Sesshoumaru, and therefore initiated the physical part of the fight – well the conflict was stopped before it became physical really. Kagome was not going to pretend to be naive; it was good the Inutaisho had intervened when he did. Sesshoumaru looked ready to retaliate, and if retaliate he did, there was a good chance that Kagome would not live to tell the tale. When Sesshoumaru set his mind to killing someone – they died – well usually, she seemed to be an exception to the rule seeming as he had tried to kill her numerous times now, yet she still breathed, but she was not going not push her luck on the matter of her impending demise.

Furthermore, it was only natural to be biased towards your own son and heir. She decided to give him her best innocent look with the wide puppy dog eyes and charming smile. It did not work, he only glared harder, alright, so she deserved his anger, but still, his eldest pup was at fault too, why did he not get any evil eye? Life was so unfair, she already knew that and there was no one there to complain to either, things just kept getting better and better!

"Hey," she said, smiling nervously up at him, staring into his burning amber eyes. "Umm, it's nice to see you, what brings you here?" The conversational tone was implanted in a ploy to try sand distract him from the fact he was angry about something. She doubted it was going to be any use, he seemed pretty dead set on remembering he was pissed about something – or maybe it wasn't anger, maybe it was boredom, aggravation or something.

When he did not answer, Kagome decided to speak again to keep the conversational tone going; it was not like Sesshoumaru was going to be any use. Yet before she could do anything of the sort, he dropped them and the two teens landed in their own undignified heap on the ground with an 'eek' and a 'humph' from Kagome, and silence from Sesshoumaru of course. They quickly righted themselves and sat on the dojo floor cross legged, about a metre from each other. Yet they were no longer irritated at one another, or even thinking of the other, the new mystery unfolding was the behaviour of the alpha of the West.

"Were you not in a meeting today father?" Sesshoumaru hose this moment to join in, sounding awfully important and more innocent than she could even hope to. He brushed his clothes down to get the dust off them and stood up to face his father as a dignified prince and not a pup, whereas he was actually stuck somewhere in between. Still, his anger at her impudence for attacking him seemed forgotten which is a plus that is gladly received. An angry Sesshoumaru is never an easy thing to try and deal with.

Inutaisho turned his steely eyes from her to his eldest pup, and she noted that his amber eyes did not soften when facing his son. Sesshoumaru however, either did not notice this or did not care; perhaps he was used to the same harsh treatment as any subjects of the Western Lord received. Kagome noticed this though and she could not help but feel the slightest bit of anger towards the dog general. While she respected him for being fair, it was only natural to be biased, you _should _be biased towards your family.

"I was in meeting Sesshoumaru," he answered him; his quiet voice was kept level and betraying nothing more than faint disapproval. "In fact," he continued, stepping back so he was glaring at the two of them together to show they were both in shame, "I should still be in it, I left half way through due to an unforeseen conflict I had to put an end to. Usually I would hold no qualms over a scuffle held between two people under my care, but when a newborn is concerned, my newborn, I felt the need to intervene before things grew out of hand."

His newborn? Inuyasha! Kagome suddenly felt awful, she was meant to be one of the young pup's mothers and she had forgotten all about him. She had just left him on the ground behind her and flew at his brother. Now she was concentrating on something other than Sesshoumaru and now Touga she noticed Inuyasha was crying – well actually he was wailing. Her heart wrenched as she saw his tiny shaking form, he was curled up into the foetal position, tears trailing down his pale cheeks from his wide amber eyes.

She knew that expression better than any, she had experienced enough of it herself and from others, although none from Inuyasha before, or a baby. He was not just upset about the fight he had seen, he was scared. Seeing someone he viewed as mother throttling someone he also recognized as family frightened him. It spoke that there was instability in his family and being the child he was he was in danger more so than others because he was unable to protect himself. He was scared because people who were part of his pack were in danger. He was scared because kids are frightened and cry when they see fights.

She immediately got up from where she had been sitting n the dojo ground and ran over to where Inuyasha was still crying. She immediately gathered him up in her arms and hugged him close, murmuring nothings, reassuring him the fighting had stopped and he was alright. "It's alright little one; no one is going to hurt you. You're safe I promise, the scawy fighting has stwoppted, see, no one is angwy anymore." She rocked the trembling hanyou in her arms as she murmured to him, getting him to quieten down.

"Don't cry my little inky poo, you're O.K, so there is no need for those little tears anymore."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, 'inky poo' – it was getting worse.

Sesshoumaru growled at the tone she was using though, he did not like the way she was acting with his brother. His father, on the other hand found in rather amusing, and put a hand on his other son to tell him to let things lie. But he did not understand, what he was feeling was jealousy directed towards his brother, he was gaining such affection, such affection he had never gained himself. His own mother had never paid such close attention to him or spoken to him with such love, even if he did find the tone slightly sickening being the age he was now.

He had turned to his father when his mother died for attention, but he never paid it to him. His mother had loved him he was sure, but she had loved his father more, so he was always second place. His father in turn had loved his mother, and when she died he only got about two years of being someone's most important person before his father's love was redirected to that human woman Izayoi. He refused to feel jealousy over some human woman so he had convinced himself that what he felt was hate and anger that his father was willing to taint the family blood by creating a hanyou – a breed everybody agreed was an abomination.

Yet he now knew this not to be true, he had no problem with their being a hanyou in the family. They could not help how they were born, and hating them was not going to help anything. If his father and Izayoi loved each other then he really had no right to wish them apart. His father had no obligation to not find another mate now his former one was dead really. No, with the meeting of the kind hearted miko Kagome Higurashi, he found out that what he had been feeling was indeed jealousy, and he felt it again now.

He believed he had finally found someone who looked up to him in adoration and love, if only friendship. He had found someone who cared deeply for him and held rightly earned respect for him, not just because of his station. He found someone who listened to his words and took into account his views. He found someone who saw things the way he did, liked the same things he did, someone who was similar to him, someone he could relate to.

He found someone who could teach him things he never thought he would learn – friendship, brotherhood, things he had not known or even cared to know before. He had found someone he found he had loved and wanted to keep around forever. In the five days he knew he had found that he never wanted her to go. He wanted her to look up to him and only him, to love him more than she loved anyone else. The possessiveness he knew was not fair and nor was it healthy, and in five days he found he did not care.

He loved the girl named Kagome Higurashi and in seven days, a mere two days more than him, Inuyasha had won her over. He was a newborn pup, he was only good for crying, eating or suckling and burbling, he could not speak, fight, or even move. He could not protect her, give her the affection she deserved, and yet here she stood, she loved him more than she could ever pay to another. It was not just the love a mother had for a pup too, she looked at him with adoration, respect, comradeship, such deep love.

He wanted to spill his brother's blood, but at the same time, the thought of him doing that to his own blood sickened him. He knew he would protect that blasted pup to the bitter end if need be, for Kagome if not for Inuyasha, or even himself. Kagome, Izayoi, father, himself, just what was it about that pup that made everyone fall over themselves for him? What did he do, how did he do it, and how could he do the same to get the girl he wanted.

They were so close, him and Kagome, but just physically right now. They were a world apart, and in their feelings for each other, two or three worlds separated them. She was _his _friend, and he did not want another, especially his brother to steal her away. Emotionally they were so far away together, when she was standing but a couple of paces from him. Why did she entice such feelings in him anyway, that human? Not that being a human meant anything of course, she was Kagome Higurashi and she was his friend, nothing else mattered.

He reached out to touch her shoulder with his fingertips and they brushed her arm. She did not turn around to regard him and he let his arm fall back down to his side. There she was, so close yet so far, within touching distance, still there, coddling the pup, he had felt her. So why – why did he feel this way about her being with him. There was only air between them, air that could was not a solid barrier, yet such an inpenetratable one at the same time.

Kagome.


	11. friendship lives

**So here we have the next chapter – do enjoy and do not forget to review. I am proud of this one. We will be hearing more of Touga in the next chapter.**

**Chapter 11 – friendship lives**

BORING! Bored, bored, and more bored. Why were meetings of this nature so incredibly dull? They were not even discussing anything of consequence. They were talking about the new miko he had brought back to the Western palace as a guest so he had been sure he would be kept captivated and never dreamt he would find himself dropping off. They were talking about her, while he did nothing but stare out the window not participating, he did not know what they were talking about. As far as he was concerned, everything about the miko had already been decided upon so there was nothing left to talk about really.

She had been brought back as an honoured guest seeming as she had saved the lives of all he held dear. She was from the future so she had nowhere else to go except home, but he doubted she would be doing that at least for a while now that Inuyasha had claimed her as a mother along with his mate. She was pack now, and as pack, he as alpha would clothe, her, accommodate her and protect her, and while she was here she was to be treated with the upmost respect, nothing else needed to be considered or further discussed.

He really did not see why the matter needed to be talked about again and again. Were they sceptical because she was human? It seemed unlikely because nobody had a problem with Izayoi, and not only was she human, but his mate, mate of the Western Lord and human. He could not be bothered with this, he needed to find something else to do, but what could he say that would be good enough to excuse him from the meeting. He would rather be anywhere but here, but there was nowhere he _needed _to be right now, so here he was stuck.

His eyes drifted to the world outside his window and he saw what was happening in the dojo. Sesshoumaru and Kagome were fighting – they weren't fighting, they were bickering. They were acting just like a couple, for some reason that irked him. After a few moments though on the matter, he found no reason as to why he could or should feel this way about how the two teenagers were interacting, whether it was like a couple or not. Bothered now and somewhat irritated and confused, he reluctantly pushed the feelings aside.

He then caught the sound of his son crying, the younger one, Inuyasha. On another look out the window he saw the bickering had indeed turned into something of a fight. When one is trying to strangle the other, a fight is usually what is used to describe the turn of events. He knew this time he had to intervene, for if he did not Sesshoumaru may end up doing something he'd regret, he never did take well to being opposed. Though he did not know what the pup had done for Kagome to feel the need to throttle him, but he could not let him retaliate.

"Excuse me gentlemen," he said pushing back his seat and rising to his feet, "but I am afraid I must leave you, there is something I must attend to." Inside he was celebrating his good luck, if he stayed in there he would have died from boredom, Kagome and Sesshoumaru really could not have picked a better time to start a fight in his opinion. Of course, now he had to go and break it up, but that did not necessarily mean that he had to return to the meeting. The relief of being spared one more minute of torture he was sure was evident on his face.

Every pair of eyes in the room turned to him but no voice cried out in objection. He had not participated in the discussion anyway; it just so happened protocol demanded his presence. It was not like their decisions would count towards anything anyway. He was the Lord of the West, he could do whatever he wanted to, and no one could object otherwise. Whatever decisions they came to regarding the woman-child, it was of no consequence to him, as long as he was sure of where she stood, nothing else mattered.

He did not meet any of the eyes staring at him and instead just walked over to the window. Yes he could walk out the room and make his way down to the dojo, but doors were for people without any imagination. Besides, he needed to get to the dojo quickly, and this was the quickest route, it saved him at least three seconds and he did love making a memorable entrance. This way it would be like appearing out of nowhere.

Standing in the dojo, facing the two teenagers on the ground in front of him he had to wonder what he had dashed down there for anyway. He mumbled something about Inuyasha, but he was just glad he had prevented harm from coming to the girl. He really did not want to go back to the meeting, perhaps he could go to Izayoi. She was sleeping right now, he was not tired himself of course, but he would not mind lying down with her for a little while. Even if they did nothing of a sexual nature he liked to be near her most of the time.

"Hey Sesshoumaru!" Kagome called to him, waving her arms, calling him over to where she was sitting in the dojo. He was surprised at her eagerness to be near him, after their fight but a day ago, he was sure she would not want to be near him again so soon. Intrigued although admittedly a little bit wary, he walked over to her to see what it was she had to say. He did not want her to hate him, and this time Inuyasha was not with her, that meant he had her to himself this afternoon and she was not going to be distracted by the pup.

He settled down beside her and looked at her expectantly. She had a bright smile on her face, had she forgotten yesterday's events? "Listen Sesshoumaru, I just wanted to say sorry for yelling at you and choking you yesterday, it was an overreaction. How about we put yesterday's events behind us and pretend it never happened. We are still friends after all, and it would be stupid for it to end over a silly little argument like that."

He stared at her in shock, well, that was... unexpected. Of all the things she could have said, that was not on his list. She had not forgotten, no quite the opposite, she had been contemplating the events and had decided to dismiss them. Forgiveness and redemption were not things he was used to, but he knew that he felt no ill will towards the girl for what she had done. He knew he was in the wrong and felt some level of regret not just for his words, but for his possible actions had his father not intervened and restrained him. He had already forgiven her and accepted the apology from her and was glad to leave it behind him.

Such an understanding was still new to him. For as long as he had lived, he had never heard of a truce putting behind a fight. When a truce is initiated, the two sides agree to get along and perhaps be allies, accepting one another. However, when there is a fight, that truce is instantly terminated and another one is rarely put in to practise. A truce he knew, never survived a fight, so why was she suggesting such. More importantly, why was he accepting it, did they not understand what entailed with a truce?

No, it was because it was not a truce that they were talking about here, they were talking about friendship. Friendship was different. He was glad of that; he did not want their friendship to end, not because of that fight, not because of anything. He was learning now, that friendship was indeed very deep, and he too, was sorry for threatening it. Again, he did not like the act of apologising normally, it hurt his honour, but for his honour too, he would not refrain from asking for redemption where apology was due.

He was not sure how to deliver his apology; a simply sorry did not seem to him as if that would be enough. Her apology had been so simple, yet it had worked for her, and nothing else would have fitted her character better. He remembered the lesson she had given him on friendship, that everything should feel natural, he was to feel natural around her with everything he did and said. He did not have to say sorry with a parade and bow, he could say it as it naturally came to him, otherwise she would know, and might not accept it.

"I too apologise for what transpired between us yesterday," he said, words coming to him as naturally as breathing the air. "I am glad you are willing to put the events behind us and move on," he carried on. He was surprised, this was an apology, that was clear, but he did not dislike giving it, in fact, he felt better about the whole ordeal now it was coming out. He was admitting he was wrong, and yet, he did not feel anything of it. He did not mind one bit admitting to her he made a mistake with his words and actions towards her. He did not know yet whether this unexpected reaction or lack of, to an apology was reserved for her or whether he had been changed by that girl and things would be this way for everyone now.

"I too want to forget about happened yesterday, I am sorry for what I said. Your actions were justified and I wish for our friendship to continue. I must admit though that I am surprised you want our friendship to goon after you were in very real danger yesterday, danger presented by me. Why do you so easily forgive?" she had such a big heart, and she was so open, he respected that although he did not quite understand it, or her.

She responded with a smile, which was expected of her, she was always smiling. This was a girl who would smile when her heart was in pain because she knew of no other expression. "I forgave you Sesshoumaru because that is what friends do. We are friends, best of friends, and best of friends do not hold grudges because it ruins the friendship. We could have a thousand fights and come out smiling after each one because we are friends. It is a very strong bond to have and it is difficult to destroy, because you fight to keep it."

She laid her head against his shoulder as she carried on this new lesson. "We may be dancing among the stars together one day Sesshoumaru because that is what this power may extend to. We could be friends in a thousand years from now. Even when one of us enters the grave our friendship will still go on, when both of us are dead, the friendship will still live on. That is something you must remember – friendship always lives."

It was with those few words that Sesshoumaru's life changed forever. He knew for as long as the friendship lasted he would remember those two words – friendship lives. He smiled, that meant h would be best of friends with Kagome Higurashi for as long as the stars shone in the sky. That warmed his heart, he was wrong, not even Inuyasha could tear them apart. Friendship always lives, it would live forever. He would indeed fight to keep it, and after one thousand fights, he would love her all the more, come out smiling. Because friendship lives.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a something hitting his shoulder. He looked up to see that Kagome had removed herself from his side and was standing before him holding a staff. He rubbed his arm where Kagome had hit and looked at her with a confused expression. It didn't hurt but she had put force behind that strike, she had meant to try and hurt him. She was smirking, what had he done this time to upset her? But she was smiling at him though, still with that bubbly smile that reminded him that their friendship lived.

"Come on Sesshy Kun, you're daydreaming. I remember you telling me a few days ago that that is a good way to get yourself killed. Pay attention to your opponent, let's spar, we never did get to do so yesterday, so come on, grab your weapon."

"I do not need my sword to defeat you if I was to fight you seriously."

"I know, but this is just you training me, nothing serious."

He leapt at her, hands outstretched, landing on top of her. The two of them went tumbling head over heels, over and over, Kagome's staff getting lost somewhere on the way. They came to a stop with Sesshoumaru perched on top of her. His lips were touching hers for a fraction of a second, and although it was only for a split second and it was by complete accident, his hart was left beating quicker than before.

"You win," Kagome muttered from beneath him.

It was a perfect moment and one he would have treasured had his father not walked in on them at that exact moment.


	12. Together under the stars

**Here is the next chapter guys – enjoy.**

**Chapter 12 – Together under the stars**

There was not a worse position to be caught it than this. They leapt away from each other like the guilty teenagers they were and stared at the ground in embarrassment, not able to look the Inutaisho in his burning amber eyes. Their cheeks flamed red, and the mere fact that Sesshoumaru was blushing made Kagome red-faced in its own right. It was kind of cute though that he was finally showing some sort of emotion. Still, it would have been nice for Touga to have not come in, they almost had a classic moment.

What the two teenagers wanted to know though was why their hearts were suddenly beating so much faster than before. That kiss was completely accidental; it did not mean anything – still – that is what Kagome kept telling herself and what Sesshoumaru kept repeating to himself. However, it was clear that no mantra was going to deny the fact that both reacted to that meagre interaction like a passionate encounter. No one could deny that their bodies reacted in a way they had never done before, especially Sesshoumaru's.

Touga too found he had some unwanted emotions he had to deal with when confronted with this scene. There was nothing that could be considered wrong with what happened, yet he felt as if he was being... betrayed? That was not the right word, but he felt... jealousy? That was not right either... no... It was right. Maybe it was because Kagome was Inuyasha's mother and therefore he felt she should not be with his other son in that way and should look up to him instead. But he already had a mate whom he loved. These feelings were complex, what was it about this girl that caused such feelings and conflict within him?

He shook his head at the two children, for that is what they were really. "Please," he said, forcing a small smile onto his face, "do not stop just because I am here." It made them blush harder and he saw Sesshoumaru about to mutter an excuse. "Please, you do not have to tell me you were breathing life back into her or even trying to get something out of her eye. A kiss is a kiss and it is nothing to be ashamed of." it was nothing wrong, so why did he feel as if he was being betrayed? Surely he could not be having romantic thoughts about the miko, he did not love her, he loved Izayoi, he almost died for her – he loved her.

Sesshoumaru was the first to recover himself. "Was there something you wanted to discuss with us father?" Yes, it was a changing of the subject question.

He walked further into the dojo and fixed them with a look that said 'look at me', and they complied. Whatever he wanted it was probably important and urgent, because the Lord of the West did not go and look for people, he had them summoned.

"There has been news of a demon causing trouble in the outskirts of the kingdom. I shall be leaving within the hour to dispatch of him and his followers. I shall likely be gone for three days, so any political work shall be down to you for that time Sesshoumaru. Look after yourself and the kingdom and Kagome of course."

He transformed into his demon form right before their eyes. He fixed them with a stare and nodded goodbye before sprinting off.

"I'd better go and check on Inuyasha," Kagome excused herself.

Kagome had always had a numinous feeling when she lay down on the ground and looked up at the night sky. She remembered ever since she was a young girl she had done it every night before going to sleep in her room, staring at the stars. She had done it every night before sleep claimed her with Inuyasha and the gang too. They slept outside anyway and she had learnt and created star constellations of her very own when looking at them from where she lay every night and it had become routine for her.

There was something magical about the night that would always be there, mystical for as long as time itself continued. Kagome looked at the countless stars above her, and loved it, gazing at those numerous tiny silver pinpricks of light shining through the navy blanket of the night sky, shepherded by the glowing white moon. It all loomed above her and carried on as far as the eye could see, stretching on forever... so beautiful.

Tonight was no different than any other of her past or impending future and the numinous feeling invaded her senses like some tantalizing new smell. The stars and the moon would always be there, in the feudal era and in her modern time home. This gave Kagome some form of comfort, comfort she had not known until that moment she needed. The night sky was not even an unchanging thing to throw her hope and heart into. After all, things are never exactly the same way twice, and the night sky follows that pattern.

She knew that she would never see the moon so close ever again. This night, this particular point in time would never happen again and she would not see the night as she did right now ever again in the same light and from the same angle. There were not so many stars in the feudal or modern era as there were now, stars died and shot away as meteors and left her. It was difficult to admire the night sky and all of its wonders in her time anyway because of the light pollution that came with the advances of electricity.

Yes, things were never the same way twice, and it was for this reason she vowed she would truly treasure these rare opportunities. It was not every night you lay down and felt so contented and utterly at peace. She wondered if she would ever have such feelings once more, she hoped so, she dearly hoped so, but that is what it remained – hope. Moments such as these were made to be rare, for if they were not, they would not be special and memorable.

Kagome got to thinking about the force of time. That was one thing that could not be reckoned with, in the end, everything submitted to time. Even the huge expanse of space, the sky above her right now containing these stars and the moon was changed by the ravaging rules of time. People and animals and plants and demons all alike were brought into the world, lived for a while and died. Everything submitted to time, everyone... but her.

She had managed to manipulate time... so did that place her above all. If that was true then she should not be having numinous feelings from the sky. no, she did not believe that for one moment, the universe and all of its wonders was just so large, it was damn near impossible for you, one life not to feel at least a little insignificant if nothing else. No, her words in fact highlighted the power time held over everyone. After all, she had no power over what point in time she was sent to, it was time that manipulated her.

This was such a relaxing pastime for the evening when the hustle and bustle of the day was done and there was nothing left to do but wait for the next day to come. The sky was as dark as it was going to get and she knew it was getting late, but she could not bring herself for some reason to move from where she lay on her back on the dewy grass. The world was silent give the slight blow of the wind and the scuffle of animals.

She loved the evening because she did not have to be anywhere and was not supposed to be doing anything. She was not meant to be in the dojo training and sparring with Sesshoumaru, although after the chance kiss, when they would ever doing that again was up for question. She was not meant to be tending to Inuyasha. She was not battling evil hanyou puppets, she actually found she had very little to worry about at all. Right here and right now is what counts and she had no impending doom to worry about, all was sort of well.

Kagome immediately at that thought consciously cut off her thoughts, blanking her own mind. She had to do this when they started to wander into the vicinity of her feudal family. She loved Inuyasha and the others, just as much as her biological family, but she did not how or when or even if she would ever get back to them. As much as she loved them though she did not want to be thinking about them right now, it was too upsetting. She would not be thinking any 'bad' thoughts now, not when she was here, lying under the stars, feeling so wondrous, utterly void of negative emotion, filled with divine peace.

She could not help but think of Inuyasha for a little bit. As hard as she tried his smirking face came into view, invading her mind. Yet, when it happened, she felt no sadness, a mild pang of longing, but it was over as soon as it hit her. Yes she missed him, but it did not hurt any longer because she would never truly be severed from him. The two of them would always share something, a friendship, and that withstood time and life, it lasted forever.

Her eyes wandered back up to the sky once more and her midnight blue orbs gazed over the stars and moon once more. Inuyasha would sometimes lay down and look up at the stars too, either from by her side or on his own up in his tree, he would do it too. She had taught constellations to Shippou and Sango when they would join her stargazing.

Miroku for one had never been into the stars, he went to sleep as soon as they set up camp, always being the most tired of the group, and often being the first to drift off. He went to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow or so she had heard the saying goes. Still, she had found he made time to join them when Sango joined her stargazing, but Kagome was not sure whether the night sky or Sango's rear end were the main attraction.

It had been her father who had first taught her and Souta about the wonders of stargazing. Souta was just as captivated as she was and often joined her during those dark nights staring up at the stars. Her mother and grandfather had not been so interested and did not understand her and her baby brother's fascination, but it did not matter. No one had to understand them as their fascinations, they knew and that was good enough. Besides, the sky loomed over them all the same, and in that they were together.

That was something that bound them there with the fascination of the night sky. The sky loomed over them all, and in that they were united. It did not matter who they were, age, gender and species all meant nothing. The sky still shone over them with its stars and moon, it was fair and shunned nobody. So it did not matter where she was in time, it was where she was in heart that mattered, and her heart was with her friends and family.

For friendship never died, and family ties were stronger, so she would never be alone. She was here in the time, but that did not matter. Her father was away, never to be seen again in another realm entirely, but that did not matter at all either. She thought of the Inutaisho and wished him safety and thought of Sesshoumaru and wondered what he was doing right now, she wondered whether Izayoi was missing her mate.

They were all the same and all altogether on the Earth. She, her father, Souta, momma, gramps, Hojo and her other school friends, and then there was Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kirara, Sesshoumaru, Inutaisho, they were all one together under the same sky, they were all united, and maybe that was enough.


	13. The night through my eyes

**So here is the next chapter of like father, like son. I love this chapter and the next one, which is only half done at the moment. This chapter was inspired by the film 'A beautiful mind' and those of you who have watched it will clearly see it portrayed here in this chapter. **

**Chapter 13 – The night through my eyes**

Kagome let out a sigh of happiness as she let her muscles relax, releasing the tension built up from the stress of the day. She was back again under those stars, lying on her back on the damp grass, staring up at the sky that was deeper than the bone eater's well. She came back night after night for the sense of security and hope at seeing her family again she received. Maybe that isn't what she got when lying here in the depths of night though thinking about it, she never lost hope – that was something she never gave up even when all seemed lost.

She was always thinking about those she had left behind though, it may be in the back of her mind, but she was always thinking about them. She came here to forget, not them, no she could never forget those she loved, she came to forget the pain. When she was here, the pain fled along with all of her fears and worries, they had no place in her heart when she was in a time and place of such peace and contentment. Kagome let a small genuine carefree smile crawl onto her face and a quiet sigh of happiness passed through her lips.

She did not want anything to ruin the precious, perfect moment of peace for her. Such moments of complete calm were hard to come by. She would happily lie here in the ground staring up at the stars until the dark faded to give way to dawn to prolong this feeling. She was not at all tired so she was sure she could do that. No, she wanted to do one better than that, what she wanted was for this night to last forever.

"Kagome, what are you doing out here so late at night?" Ordered a cold, adolescent voice she knew only too well from above her.

Well there goes the peace and quiet she'd been hanging onto. She could not bring herself to feel annoyed at being disturbed though. "Good evening Sesshoumaru," she greeted as her vision of the night sky was blocked and replaced by two amber swirls of light and a couple of pairs of magenta stripes. It was not that bad a replacement; this was quite a beautiful sight too in its own way if not quite as numinous.

"What are you doing out here Kagome?" He ordered when she did not answer his question the first time round. "I went to your room to return you bag to you, you left it in the dojo, and you usually don't like to go anywhere without it. Upon finding you were not there you understand my confusion as to where you may have been. I conducted a search of the entire castle looking for you, I checked everywhere I could think of but you were not there."

"You searched the entire castle because you were worried about my whereabouts – that's so sweet." Eccentric and overprotective, but sweet all the same.

"You are a guest at the palace Kagome, and I am the prince, in my father's absence you are my charge. What is more, you are my friend, and therefore your wellbeing is my responsibility," he proclaimed rather proudly.

"It's O.K Sesshoumaru, you can just admit that you care about me, it's no crime, even for you," Kagome said in the sweetest voice she could muster with her best sweet smile, she did not need his ego and attitude she had one of her own.

He had no answer for that.

"I will ask you one more time and I expect an answer, what are you doing lying on the ground in the middle of the night. It's cold and wet and late, it is time you were inside and in bed, you'll catch a cold if you stay out like this."

"Whatever... mum," Kagome said, not looking at him anymore and staring past his moon kissed hair at the silver stars behind him.

He waited for a reply.

"I'm looking at the stars alright?" She conceded.

This answer seemed to confuse him. His brows knitted together in confusion and he asked her one word in the clear question she knew he'd ask, "Why?"

"Don't you find them amazing?"

"No, why should I?" He looked up at the stars then as if considering them for the first time, surely it was not the first time he'd seen the sky at night.

"Does it really make you feel nothing at all?" She questioned when he failed to give her any sort of response at all when he tried. "Just stop and think about it for a moment, and you will soon see what I am talking about I promise. There are thousands of stars out there above us, each one but a silver pinprick of light to us where we are down on Earth. But in reality, each one o those lights are huge balls of flames and gasses burning billions of miles away. In fact, some of those lights up there are galaxies which contain thousands of stars in their own right, the whole spiral, nothing but a pinprick to us. The naked eye cannot even see all the pinpricks that are out there, some stars and galaxies are too far away to see; this sky here above us which are visible, is only a fraction of what is in the universe."

He did not answer, just continued to look.

"If you think about the sheer size of them universe and your existence on the small planet Earth you will see what I mean. For a human it is different than for a Taiyoukai, but in the great scheme of things we are very similar. Your life is nothing but a breath in the great expanse of time, doesn't it make you feel... well, a little small?"

Sesshoumaru stood and stared at her for quite a while, finding her words more interesting than the sky any day and Kagome knew he was considering what she'd said. Her words were sometimes babblings of nonsense that meant nothing, and sometimes they were incredibly wise. And most of the time he did not know what she was saying and which category her words fell into. "If I am to be honest with you, the thought has never before crossed my mind."

"I find the whole thing about the night sky amazing, and everyone I have known had thought the same, I think you should do so too."

"Did they really share your fascination or did you badger them into agreeing with you?"

"A bit of both," she admitted.

"I do not share your fascination," he told her truthfully.

"That's O.K, I enjoy a challenge."

"They are just stars a part of nature which has always been there. They serve no use and they do not mean anything apart from their own existence. You cannot change anything about them and nobody exerts any sort of control or ownership over them, so there is really no point in studying them or marvelling over them," he concluded dismissively.

"This is the exact reason why I like them," Kagome argued. "You know what you do; you take things for granted you cold, stony, superior egotistical Taiyoukai."

"And you find something fascinating in everything you come into contact with," he countered with the same speed. "You are constantly doing things I do not understand and saying nonsense one minute, then a wise advice the next. Yet I will admit that your concept on one's life and its worthlessness is most intriguing. I do not agree with it of course, every life is important and will be remembered for all of time."

Suddenly a cold gust of wind tore through her and made her shiver where she lay on the cold, hard and damp ground, chilling her further.

"You're cold," he stated, it was an observation, not a question.

"Well then lie down with me and share your fluff, that would solve the problem."

Kagome really did not know what she was expecting as an answer, but complying was definitely not it. She took it all in her stride though and kept her cool, pretending that this was what she expected him to do so anyway and snuggled up to his mokomoko.

"Would you like me to show you a few constellations?" She asked him after a few moments of them lying in the still darkness together.

"Constellations?"

"Groups of stars that if looked at in the right angle make certain images and shapes in the sky," she explained, remembering her father teach her and Souta the same thing. He showed them by pointing out the shapes to them with his hand encasing their own. "Here, give me your hand and let me show you the night through my eyes."

Kagome was the one to reach out and gently grasp one of his large hands in one of her considerably smaller ones. Sesshoumaru then progressed the innocent action into a way that was more intimate and made it so their fingers were interwoven. Kagome lifted both of their arms up so they were pointing up at the sky. She was not an expert at astronomy but she knew a few constellations and was eager to share what she knew.

"You see than cluster of cluster of faint stars way up there all close together – that's the seven sisters." She pulled his arm so he was pointing at the stars himself, and then she moved his arm to point at something different. "That's Orien's belt," she said making him point at the three stars one after the other. "I have no idea who this Orien is or why the hell his belt is in the sky, but that is what those three stars are called."

"My father and I used to do this every evening. My baby brother Souta joined us when he was old enough to do so, then it was just me and Souta. My dad tried to teach us what little he knew of star constellations, but we grew bored really quickly and easily, and forgot everything he said anyway. Funnily enough though, I can remember everything he ever taught me now he's gone. We'd usually spend the night star busting instead."

"What is star busting?"

"Star busting is a game of sorts which can be played by any number of people of all ages, races and species. It's a game a lot like cloud busting, but with stars, although it is easier with clouds, basically you make your own constellations. You find a group of stars that looks like a shape and point it out to the other people if you are playing with others. Once you get really good at it you can ask people to give you an object for you to create. For example, that there is an umbrella," Kagome demonstrated using her hand to guide his over the stars that made it.

"What is an umbrella?"

"Sorry, I guess you would not know that. It is an invention from my time that stops the rain from...you know what, never mind. Here, that looks like a bunny rabbit as another example, see the fluffy tail at the end there? Want to give it a go?"

After another moment of silence, Sesshoumaru muttered "tree in winter," and proceeded to draw it for her with their interlaced fingers on the large, black canvas of the sky. It was a very intricate design, taking up the whole of the sky above, and using practically every star and the moon. It had a huge thick trunk, many, many branches too, thinning out as they grew deeper into the night. He even pointed out the flaws in the branches and the few leaves which had not fallen until there was not a night sky above them, but a winter oak.

Kagome was shocked speechless; she never knew the Inus had such as artistic streak. That was some imagination to come up with that on your first try. "Wow," she breathed, not being able to see anything else but a tree now. "Are you sure this is the first time you have played this game before, that was very good." That was not just very good, that was unreal, it put everything she could think of to shame really, and it was a stupid game anyway.

After a few moments of silence Kagome rather meekly pointed out a wolf, which Sesshoumaru had to squint at to make it work. He pointed out an octopus which was not as grand as the tree, he was holding back because he had sensed his natural talent for the game had put her attempts to shame, but it was still very clear.

The carried on star busting for a few more tries each, and Sesshoumaru had a new found fondness for the night when seeing it from Kagome's point of view. Through her eyes, the stars really were wondrous, but only because she was the one to point it out.

"Whale."

"Sword."

"That's typical for you, look – a village, see the different people and huts, beat that."

"If you wish – a battle between youkai and demons. Bigger than yours."

"This is not a competition Sesshoumaru – look, a star."

"Father."

Kagome squinted. "Well sure I guess it could be," she said doubtfully cocking her head to the side to see it a different angle to try and make it work, "if he was a lot shorter and lost a pound or twenty... you know I'm just not seeing it Sesshoumaru."

It took Kagome a few moments to realize that Sesshoumaru was not talking about a bunch of stars that when looked at right created an image of his father, but actually the Inu no Taisho himself. He had returned, and he'd caught them in a compromising position _again._


	14. Like father, like son

**O.K. so fast update this time, but it will not be so, for I am going to try and start to update my other story, but it is going really so, because I am getting really into this one. Romance really takes place this chapter, and in the next two I will try and focus more on humour because that element is being lost in the fic.**

**Chapter 14 – Like, father, like son.**

They sat up as he approached, striding over to where they lay, but they kept their fingers interlocked. They had not been expecting him back so soon as barely even noticed that they were still holding hands. Still it was not as embarrassing as the last time he'd seen them together, but this time the intimate-ish position was not by accident.

As he drew nearer Kagome noticed that he looked rather angry for some reason. Sure they were lying outside on a rather cold night looking at the stars in the middle of the night instead of sleeping in their rooms. Maybe it was something to do with the battle he had just had – no, that can't be it, he was not injured at all and his anger was most definitely directed at them. Anger did not quite cut the expression on his face, he looked quite positively, majorly _livid._

"Why is you scent all over her?" Inutaisho demanded of his son once he reached them, fixing him with a steely amber gaze. "Just because I was away for a couple of days does not give you permission to do whatever you please. Your scents do not get so mixed by simply holding hands, or was this too by accident? Just what exactly have you two been up to this night, an outside as well amongst the dark and the dirt?"

Sesshoumaru was as composed as ever, but Kagome blushed down to the roots of her hair. What he was suggesting was so outrageous she did not even get angry; it was such an embarrassing thought. He thought she had been doing... that... with Sesshoumaru. Her speech was badly affecting by this suggestion which was not good, because it just incriminated her. "I – we – no, I mean... you see... you think we... no... we... we... we haven't... you know... had... or rather done... anything like that!" Kagome stuttered, her face getting redder and redder with every uttered syllable that came out of her mouth due to the implications of what he's suggested.

Sesshoumaru on the other hand, actually for lack of a better word, looked – peeved. "Surely your nose does not deceive you father, I would have expected you to be more accurate in your assumptions father before jumping to conclusions, you have berated me for doing so before. You should use all of your senses to assure yourself of the truth before making such accusations. If you smelt properly then you would be able to tell that I and Kagome have not been doing anything that you would perceive as... indecent or too intimate for your liking. My scent is simply around and coating her, not inside her."

"Sesshoumaru, please!" Kagome snapped at him. She was ignored by both dogs.

Inutaisho had been deathly quiet before and serious as he spoke, though it had screamed danger. Now it rose greatly in volume as his anger escalated, and his eyebrows did a very good attempt at trying to disappear off the top of his head before coming right the way down to settle over his narrowed golden eyes. It made her cower a little into the nearest source of comfort, which just happened to be a particular white fluffy boa, snuggling into it did not really support their case. Sesshoumaru seemed to be handling things very well though.

"DO NOT PATRONIZE YOUR FATHER ON HIS ABILITIES PUP!" He spat, roaring in outrage so loudly the whole Western Palace must have awoken.

"Please," Kagome said in a small voice, "we're telling you the truth. The only reason we smell like each other is because we've been lying next to each other," angry eyes whirled to her dangerously, "WAIT! That didn't come out right!"

Sesshoumaru still had hold of her, not letting go of her hand. Kagome saw his reasoning and guessed that springing apart like guilty teenagers like last time would have only given Inutaisho more fuel to his argument. However, Kagome was suddenly feeling very uncomfortable with all forms of physical contact, no matter how menial.

Angry golden eyes focused once more on Sesshoumaru who stared back levelly. He asked again, reining in, with great difficulty, all of his anger from his voice a little more this time. He was no convinced by their cries of innocent, he was like an unforgiving judge, and she just prayed he would hear them out. "Just what have the two of you been doing here this night, your scents are practically identical, and do not even attempt to lie."

"We've been looking at the stars alright?" Kagome replied truthfully as an answer in hope of placating the angry inutaiyoukai. "I taught him how to star bust but as it turned out he did not need any teaching or practicing, he's a natural. Observe, and I'll show you exactly what we've been doing as you'll see you have no reason to be angry at us."

Kagome used her and Sesshoumaru's joined hands to point out her rabbit again which she was actually quite proud of. Sesshoumaru followed her cue and showed Touga his tree; he used her hand like she had used Sesshoumaru's. Not once did he take his eyes off his father, while his father contemplated the sky as if for the first time, like Sesshoumaru had done about an hour and half ago, Kagome guessed taking things for granted ran in the family, Inutaisho and Sesshoumaru with the natural beauty of the night sky, and Inuyasha with her.

"Would you like to try?"

Rather surprisingly he had the same reaction as Sesshoumaru had had an hour and half ago. He situated himself on Kagome's free side and grabbed her other hand, so she was sandwiched between two dog demons. She had to admit it though; it felt nice to have a large, warm, soft mokomoko on either side of you to keep you all snuggled up and cosy. Oh yeah, she could definitely get used to this.

The only downside to the Inutaisho joining them in their little game was having both of her arms yanked out of their sockets as the dogs pointed out their constellations to her in all different directions. Father and son seemed to have turned the mindless game, or at least it was meant to be nothing but a mindless game, into some sort of competition, and apart from having her arms tortured, Kagome was beginning to feel rather left out.

She was the one who gave the lesson about how one should view the night sky, but it was her who received lessons about how to play the game. She had never seen such constellations in the sky before and would never view it in the same way. She would never see abstract art in the same way again either, she could definitely see where those artists were coming from now. The night sky truly was the biggest most artistic natural canvas there was.

It was annoying how she who had been playing this game for years could never offer up an idea which was half as good as Inutaisho's or Sesshoumaru's first try, it was infuriating. Maybe it was something to do with being a youkai, or maybe it was just that she was not very good at the game. Whatever the reason, she was so going to put Souta in awe of her the next time she played this game when she got home.

Kagome settled for watching the world and the game pass her by while she stared up at the sky and the slowly moving moon. Eventually, lulled by the soft mokomokos and the gentle sound of thee two deep baritones talking about the beautiful stars, Kagome drifted into sleep. The night, she should have known could never have lasted forever.

It was early morning by this point, and it was Inutaisho who gathered her up in his arms and carried her inside the castle. He cradled her to his chest, bridal style as he walked up the stairs and tucked her into her bed, arranging the covers around her. Sesshoumaru followed him the whole way with a scowl on his face. He was feeling put out that his father had just taken the liberty of picker her up and carrying her to bed without even consulting without so much as a glance at him first. It was not like he was incapable of doing so and she was _his _friend after all.

Sesshoumaru's feelings for the young black haired miko had been changing as of late. They were no longer feelings of simple friendship, not anymore. Lately they had intensified into so much more than simple friendship. It had started as hate and disdain for the girl who embarrassed him in front of his father and the rest of the court. But she did things every day, small things that without either of them realizing it, made him fall for her.

She had taught him so much that he never thought he'd learn, things he had never cared to learn before. Three days ago she had run into his room in the early evening, sporting a bruise on her cheek just below her left eye. She had stepped on something which flicked up and whacked her round the face. Without him asking about what caused the injury, she just said, "I just hit myself in the face," and only explained what really happened the next day when he had stopped laughing at her and she had forgiven him for doing so.

He had never felt before felt such feelings for anyone, but now, he was feeling them all too much. He was feeling fondness for his new baby brother, seeing him as a brother and someone to protect rather than a nuisance that was stealing his only and best friend. He was physically appealing but what is more, he was an innocent, and Sesshoumaru could not find t within him to feel resentment for an innocent.

He even grudgingly felt some affection for Izayoi who Kagome had great pleasure in calling his step mother, whatever that was meant to mean anyway. The girl was only visibly three or four years older than him in her pitiful human years, yet she had caught the eye of his sire, the most powerful Taiyoukai to have ever lived, birthed his pup and was a good mother. She fit well in youkai society and seemed to genuinely care about her pup, her mate, Kagome, and even him, not that he deserved any affection from her.

One person though he did not feel affection for was his father. The relationship had always been strained but with the addition of this girl to the pack, things became even more so stressed. He was feeling jealousy that his father held her in his arms because he wanted to be the one to do it. He was angry that the Inutaisho, yes, that was his title, and he did not mind referring to him as that instead of father, had disturbed them in their game. He did not like it when Kagome asked him to join, because he had wanted to be alone with her, though he understood she was doing it because of her kind heart that was too big and trusting for her own good.

He was not angry when he had accused them of having intercourse in the garden in the middle of the night. It was not that it had been true, because it most certainly had not been, but he had not been angry because he saw that turn of events as a very real possibility in the future. He found that he wanted to have that sort of relationship with the young miko. She was not ready to accept him like that though; she still liked him as a friend. But one day soon he would tell her how he was truly beginning to feel about her.

He doubted she would feel the same way and that was unacceptable. He would have to start courting her because he knew with a certainty right now that she was the one for him. Of course he would never lower himself to forcing himself of her, it was a despicable act and he would not associate himself with the lowlifes who did that.

No, he had never had such feelings before, but he was not an idiot, he knew very well what these feelings were. He was not feeling simple lust that every teenager feels during their youth; it was much more serious than that. He was in love with her. He knew that and he was not afraid to admit it, he was in love with her.

But unbeknownst to him there was already something in the way of the relationship he wanted to have with the girl. Someone was already romantically interested in the miko, and the roadblock was being kept hidden but it was there. No one knew this yet, not even the one with the feelings, but the seeds had been planted and sown – and very soon the feelings would bloom out of the soil and into the open for all to see.


	15. The desk of the Western Lord

**Sorry, a short chapter, but I gave you a few long ones before this and I'm updating real quickly despite my A levels so... be nice to me.**

**Chapter 15 – The Desk of the Western Lord**

"Kagome," the Inu no Taisho intercepted her as she made her way to the nursery to play with Inuyasha for a little while. She stopped and turned to him wondering what could be so important he was preventing her from spending some time with her... son... man it was still really weird calling him that, but he was her charge in a way. He was not one of her brood, but there was no way she could look at him in the same way again.

"You have been here for a week and half now, but you still have not been given a tour of the castle. You know your way around well but I was wondering whether you would like to see the study. There are a greater number of books in there than the library as I do my work in there and prefer to have what I wish to read close at hand." Well surely it could not hurt to know exactly where she was allowed to go. She had thought the library was rather small the first time she'd gone in there, and it was good to know there was another place she could go to satisfy the need to read that usually attacked her in pangs during the evening.

Kagome just stopped and stared at what greeted her eyes once she walked into the Inu no Taisho's personal study. The tour of the castle had been going splendidly until she got to that... that... that... monstrosity. It was almost sad really, because it looked like it was beautiful once upon a time, and it was big, well made, useful, high quality, and completely degraded. If it was alive then it would have quit its job long ago for the injustice it was being put under. It seemed to call to her, and Kagome knew that she was not actually feeling a call; the thought was ridiculous, because it was not alive, but felt the need to help it anyway.

She turned around slowly, just for the dramatic effect, to face the dog general, and pinned him with an icy stare to let him know immediately that he was in trouble. If looks could kill, he would have died from her glare, but thankfully he had yet to meet someone who actually had the power to kill someone with a look. If everyone could do it, well he had enough enemies just inside the court; he would be dying at least twenty five times a day. "What in the name of all seven hells..." she started, saying each syllable slowly and quietly to emphasize her point. Without breaking eye contact with him she thrust a finger in the direction of the object causing her distress, "IS THAT!" She finished with a shriek.

He frowned at the anger radiating from the girl and Kagome could tell that he did not know what was making her so. He did not like being confused, a trait he shared with his son, but thankfully, unlike his son, he did not immediately transform it into anger or hate. Instead he seemed to look a little... insulted. That was not much better, when you insult a Taiyoukai, things such as anger, and therefore danger were sure to soon follow. From what she knew of demon lords of the Western Lands, they could be pretty ruthless when they got pissed off, especially towards humans, and they had an incredibly short fuse.

Another thing he shared with his son were being able to remain so stoic all of the time, but by now, Kagome realized she could read his expressions and feeling perfectly well most of the time. Right now, it only took a glance to realize he was feeling a little bit insulted, and Kagome had to wonder how she knew. To be honest, his facial expressions had not changed that much, something he had obviously perfected over the years like his son had. He had narrowed his amber eyes ever so slightly and jutted his jaw out by perhaps a millimetre. His posture had not changed so it really wasn't a substantial enough difference to notice the change, but she still had, and it got her to question how and why she knew him so well.

Yes he was her Lord, at least temporarily, she would stay as long as he bid her too, or until she got bored and decided she needed to go back. Still, she had only spent a little bit of time alone with him, meal times, and the occasional evening. Of course there was the first time when he had interrogated her about her life in the future, and then her life in the further future. Intrigued he often called her back, but never for more than a few minutes. She often saw the expression of surprise or interest, but never insult – he was not very hard to upset or insult from what she'd heard, though he was a lot mellower than his son would be as future Lord of the West. Yet the expression he was displaying on his face was without a doubt insult.

She could tell why, she honestly could. She had rather insulted him, or rather; she had insulted a possession of his. She knew it was a prized possession of his too, but honestly, was he expecting a different reaction? He had kept it in poor condition and it did not deserve to be gushed over in the state it was at the moment. She was going to have to teach him to take proper care of his things, Kagome herself had many setbacks of her own that she was well aware of, but she took great care of her possessions. There was not much a young girl could teach a Taiyoukai, but she could hammer into his head the importance of looking after one's things.

"Do you have a problem with my desk?" He asked her quietly, and although his voice was calm there was an underlying tone of warning in her voice. She suddenly realized she did sound a bit like a middle aged woman, like she was the dog general's mother, or maybe even grandmother. She didn't know how many centuries it took for a demon to look middle aged, Sesshoumaru had the appearance of a mere fifteen year old after all, and he was like several centuries old already, although he still acted like a teen. She sounded like her own mother actually, a pushy woman who had gotten angry at her child for not keeping his room tidy.

"Yes, I do have a problem with your desk," she affirmed with a huff. "It's a really nice desk, and it deserves to be looked after with the proper respect. Honestly, here I'll do it for you this time but you've got to do it yourself next time okay?" She walked over the desk and started looking at the papers littered all over it.

"Miko, are you reading my documents?"

He got no answer. He repeated his question. Still, no answer. "Tell me girl, are you reading my documents?"

"I do not know who you are talking to Touga sama, but on the off chance it is me I shall remind you my name is Kagome Higurashi. I do not answer to girl, wench, bitch, human, or even miko, I only answer to my name, Ka-go-me, O.K?"

She expected him to glower at her in distaste, when you reprimand a demon Lord, that is the response you can expect.

"Ka-go-me," he repeated through gritted teeth.

She turned to him with a cheery smile on her face. "Well since you asked me so nicely, in answer, yes I do happen to be reading the papers on your desk. I can't very well sort or file them properly if I do not know what they are." Kagome started to sort the papers into three distinct piles, and moved the writing utensils to the left of the desk, as he was left handed like his son, a reason why she did not want Sesshoumaru to lose his arm.

"There," she said after half an hour of work and she was satisfied with the result. Inutaisho had just stood there and watched her, not bothering to help or anything. "All done," she said, with a very proud smile on her face. "This pile," she said, indicating to the biggest of the lot, "is about news of politics and alliances of other lands, you know, the really boring stuff." She pointed to the other two which were about the same size. "This one is about news within the castle, I'm mentioned quite a few times I've found. And finally, this one is miscellaneous stuff which doesn't really fit into any category of its own."

Inutaisho did nothing but stare at her. She was just like his mate, the mate before Izayoi that is, Sesshoumaru's mother. She had liked his desk too, and was always criticising it and him for it being in such a mess. She had organized his desk a couple of times and in the end she had given up when she found out he was just like a teenager with his bedroom, he was unable to keep it tidy. She had scolded him a few times on the matter actually. After she had cleared and organized his papers for him she said –

"There," Kagome said, gesturing towards the desk, "it's tidy and organized, try and keep it that way." She walked over to one of the many bookshelves. "I like the rest of the study by the way," she added, picking out a book. "I need to go and check on Inuyasha now, I think he would enjoy being read to, most children do. Then I'm going to go and spar with Sesshoumaru, I think we're both getting better you know. Maybe I'll be able to take on you one day, anything larger than a butterfly id beyond me at the moment, but we've all got to start somewhere. Thank you for showing me this place, see you later."

That was it, she was gone, escaped through the door, leaving a stunned Taiyoukai behind her. Yes, he had shown her the study to impress her, but if he was going to be truthful, he had not expected her to be able to read as well as everything else, and he she was, reading his paperwork, organizing his desk, acting just like his mate.

He was starting to feel towards her in a way he definitely should not be. He needed to see Izayoi, he was feeling terrible.


	16. Kagome's antics & the Taiyoukai's study

**Next chapter people. This chapter and next chapter are very similar, they were originally one chapter see, but I separated them into two, so next chapter taken place at the same time as this one, this is Kagome's memories and fun times she has had in Inutaisho's castle. Enjoy! Don't forget to review!**

**Chapter 16 – Kagome's antics and the Taiyoukai's study**

Kagome hated being in Inutaisho's study, it was as simple as that. She could safely say that it was her least favourite place in the castle, and this caste had like over one thousand rooms, and that's not even including the cellar and the dungeons, the only places she had not explored. They were off limits yes, but then again so was the roof and she had somehow managed to find a way up there unknown to even Sesshoumaru.

It was a funny story actually, she had been running away from Sesshoumaru who had decided she was ready to step up her training and had started to spar with slightly less holding back. She had run from the dojo and into the castle, she ran so fast, taking twists and turns she had never known existed and had lost herself in the gigantic place quickly. She ran up several flights of stairs and suddenly she was not in the castle anymore and standing precariously on the edge of the roof, feeling a rather bad case of vertigo, despite the fact she did not usually suffer. She had been up there for over an hour before Sesshoumaru finally found her and after laughing for about an hour decided to help her down by picking her up and jumping seeming as she refused to get up off all fours and walk over to him.

She did not keep track of where she was going so she had never done it since, and neither did she plan to. It had worked in a way though seeming as he had said that as she ran away at the mere mention of him stepping up her practise, she obviously was not ready. The thing was, she was sure she was ready, but it was not fun if she had to concentrate so much. Therefore, she was content to play spar with him.

She had gone on many explorations by herself lately, seeming as she was not going on a tour with Inutaisho anymore. He was always busy with his newly organized desk anyway, and she preferred to go on explorations by herself anyway in between tending to Inuyasha and spending time with Sesshoumaru. Kagome was thinking that he did not want to give her a tour anyway because he was afraid she would launch into another scolding at the things he showed her. It had been a week since the desk incident and he still rolled his eyes up at her whenever they passed each other, and assured her it was still tidy at meal times.

Being the curious girl she was, Kagome ended up absolutely everywhere on her explorations of the castle. She often ended up placed she was sure she did not belong, for example, she was pretty sure that Inutaisho's personal chambers were off limits too, but with all fairness she had not meant to go on a little exploration of them, she was lost. He could have locked the room or something though, and then she would have known to steer clear. Of course as soon as she entered it was obvious where she was and she had promptly left again. She also planned on never revealing to him she had been there, but something in the way he looked at her told her that it would not be necessary, he already knew, of course he did – he knew everything.

Anyway getting back to the point of her current fuming and moping fit, she hated being in the study and three guesses as to where she was right now. To tell you how much she hated it, the only thing she hated more than being in the study was catching Inuyasha and Kikyou screwing in the woods behind her back.

Yes, that is right; she actually had less of a problem with it if they did the deed with Inuyasha telling her that he loved Kikyou first. Kagome reasoned that you can't help who you fall in love with really, after all, the heart rules the head, but with Inuyasha's case it was just a bit more extreme since he was committing necrophilia every time he went off with the dead girl. She had even less problem if she never actually saw them doing it, i.e. Inuyasha manages to actually keep it a secret and she never catches them when following. The old saying is true after all, what you don't know can't hurt you – that much anyway.

Spending time in the study was something that she had been doing with alarming frequency for alarming and uncomfortable increasing lengths of time. What was worse, she was made to suffer spending lengths of time in there alone with him, the Inu no Taisho, which was in fact the entire problem of her hating the room, not the room itself. She had just been conditioned into hating the room like Pavlov's puppy.

It was not that she disliked him, in fact, she liked him a lot, admired him, respected him and for obvious and deserving reasons. However, she felt as though she was being cross-examined whenever in his presence, and Kagome really didn't like being scrutinized and having people pry into her life. Though with Inutaisho it was more intense than that, it was like he was prying into the very core of who she was. She didn't want someone to try and 'figure her out', if you couldn't accept her or understand her then it was not her problem. According to Kagome, he should try and get to know her instead of studying her like some lab experiment.

There was nothing wrong with the study itself of course; it was full of books as he had promised a week earlier when she was confronted with that monstrosity of a desk. Each book and scroll containing knowledge she had to absorb, and that was a downfall, or perhaps a positive aspect actually of the Higurashi household. Kagome loved reading, especially fiction, and she found that even in this era, the study contained a few novels and anthologies of poetry of many different genres which she found incredibly entertaining.

No she liked the study an awful lot, mainly because of how it was designed. It was very interestingly designed, rather attractive as rooms go, though it was small compared to all the others. The library contained more books she found on a second inspection, but this one was full of the very best and as Touga preferred to spend time in here, it was in this room all the best material of the era throughout the land was stationed.

It had black, red and golden walls, all royal colours as if to remind you upon entry you were in a room belonging to a Lord. Everything about the Inutaisho actually, from his clothes to the decoration of the rooms of his castle screamed at you that he was unbearably rich, and you were a peasant, so you must bow down to his icy holiness. She just couldn't help it, she didn't like very rich people, because their shouldn't be any very rich people, those who had so much wealth they didn't know what to do with it all should give it to the people who can't eat every day. The responsibility of that fell to Lords of land more so than other rich bastards.

The thick red and incredibly soft carpet was by far her favourite feature of the study, after the actual material in there of course. You didn't have to worry about finding a cushion or a seat to sit up, the carpet was as comfy as a mattress and she was capable of curling up on it to go to sleep. This was something she had yet to do, but never actually planned on carrying it out, after being rather graciously given a bedroom room, and a very nice room it was too, she did not plan to accidentally offend them with her 'antics'.

Inutaisho apparently was very easily offended, as she had been told numerous times in a warning tone by many different people. The servants especially tried to warn her of this seeming as they knew the Inutaisho and what his rage entailed better than anyone else. What is more, unlike Sesshoumaru and said lord, they found pretty much everything about what she did, said, wore, moved, and breathed ext tedious.

Yes, 'antics' in this time held a completely different meaning to what would be considered 'antics' in hers, it was even more uptight than in the feudal era. Even the way she dressed in her school uniform was considered improper and perhaps disrespectful, even indecent to some people. It was not just because she had been given kimonos to wear so she did not have to wear her school uniform (which she wore anyway as often as she could get away with because she really liked it) but because of the way it was made.

Apparently it was provocative and revealing, and she would agree to a certain extent, the top was a little short so a bit of her stomach was on show. She would agree to that yes the skirt was not exactly ankle length either; in fact she had yet to find one that went even halfway down to her knees, but it was still comfortable. One servant had gone as far as to say that it left nothing to the imagination, and that particular comment sent her rage over the edge, because it was not true as said servant had quickly found out by her next moves.

She wasted no time in whipping off her top and skirt, leaving her in nothing but her undergarments. She stayed with that little clothing on for a good couple of minutes while he stared at her with wide eyes, shocked into silence with this latest antic. Even she would agree this was a brazen act for her, but sometimes acts like that were called for when you needed to prove a point, because she liked her uniform, and he was not only disrespecting it, but disrespecting her. What is more than that, he was wrong in his assumption.

Running around in the feudal era had left her with toned thighs and an even tan on her legs and stomach and back. She would not describe herself as attractive, especially when she compared herself to Kikyou or Sango, or any other young female she met, but she knew she was not bad to look at either. He was suggesting that her leaving nothing to the imagination was a bad thing, and she could not have that.

The servant had promptly had a nosebleed and curled up on the floor in the foetal position, eyes clenched shut is how Kagome left him. _That _was leaving nothing to the imagination. He had been the only one present when she did this but she was sure that gossip got around quickly reaching every single servant but hopefully not the royal family. she would not be surprised if Inutaisho did know what she'd done, he knew everything that happened in his castle, in fact he probably had a document in it filed in the 'going-ons in the castle pile' on his newly organized desk. If he did know, he gave no indication of it, and Sesshoumaru definitely did not know, because he definitely would have said something or at least given her a funny look.

These were clothes worn by '_the harlot of the village_,' in proper language that means sluts. Such clothing should not be worn by someone of her... standing or status, or whatever being an honoured guest of the Inu no Taisho made her. The revealing nature of her clothes had been pointed out by him, Sesshoumaru and many others. She was wondering just how many times she was going to have to say she didn't care before she believed it... that is before they believed it.

The school uniform she had thought was rather modest compared to some of the clothing you could get in her time. It was nice looking enough, and comfortable, and she thought it simply just made her look attractive, thus encouraging her to continue wearing it. She would admit though it was obviously not good enough so to catch Inuyasha's desired attention as much as she'd like, though it caught the unwanted attention of many others.

Yet nothing she had done which usually annoyed Inuyasha, and an awful lot to, seemed to have any effect at all on the Lord of the West. Then again, it was not hard, especially for her to annoy the hanyou; his temper was on permanent short fuse which could ignite if you looked at him the wrong way. Certain people could ignite it in different ways too and engage different reactions. For example, Miroku with his annoying ability to remain calm with him, and remain calm in any other situation too, had to openly flirt with Kagome, which he did not do anymore since he loved Sango to get him to shout and hit him round the head.

However, Sesshoumaru and Kouga simply had to appear, they did not even have to say or do anything before Inuyasha would start a fight which he was quite happy to turn into a death match. Sesshoumaru usually did say something, such as 'die hanyou you are a disgrace to our father's bloodline' and Kouga would claim her. Then Sesshoumaru would swing his poisonous claws at Inuyasha's sword which was so ridiculously oversized in its transformed state it was like something which had jumped right out of 'final fantasy'.

She did try to stay out of Inutaisho's way which probably helped, but he seemed to be surprisingly tolerant of pretty much everything she liked to do. For example he had had no trouble with at all with her need to pick every single flower in the gardens to make a wreath out of, (like Rin will do in a couple centuries time). He also had no trouble with her swimming in the decorative pools around the place, O.K, so she didn't actually plan for him to find out about that either, but she wouldn't be surprised if he knew, and had just accepted it as part of her character. She had come to the conclusion that previous cognitions were wrong, and he was in fact hard to insult and annoy, or at least it was hard for her to insult and annoy him.

An aggravated growl from the Inutaisho reminded her of the study, oh yeah, she was still in here, and would be for several hours. He was working on a problem of some sorts, but Kagome could not really be less interested in him and his problems, she had enough of her own. It was nice to be considered pack and being allowed to join them during their family time, it really was an honour. But being considered pack had its downfalls as well, such as being allowed to join them. Reminiscing on her past antics would no longer distract her from the fact she was still here, she was going to go back to the fact she didn't like the study now.


	17. A royal's study and marking work

**O.K, so here is the next chapter. I 'm really pleased with this one, though I still think the chapters when she and Sess were under the stars were the best ones. They weren't very funny though and I was trying to put humour in this one like in my other story The Lord of the West. It's rather long chapter this time which I'm glad about. Don't forget to review and give me ideas for either this story or the other one if there is something you would like for me to add in. If it doesn't mess with my original storyline I will do it. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 17 – A royal's study and marking work**

Most of the study was nice, but there were some aspects of its design which were downright depressing. It was the black curtains blocking out the light from the windows which Kagome did not like. Touga seemed to prefer to play 'vampire' and have all light come from artificial sources so have the windows covered up. It made the place look even more regal, but also made the study seem like a sort of prison with no escape.

This 'confinement' image was combined with his need to imprison her in there alone with him for no apparent reason for ridiculous lengths of time while he bombarded her with questions about inconsequential facts about her life. Now not only did he know that her favourite colours were green and blue (part of the reason why she liked her school uniform so much,) but her favourite food was roast chicken, (it was actually chocolate, but that hadn't been invented yet), and her birthday was on the 23rd of August.

The portraits covering the walls of the study always caught her attention for at least some of the time she was in there. They were all apparently drawn by the Lord of the West himself, and Kagome had to admit they were amazing. They were of him, the family, portraits of his land, there were even one or two of her now as well which brought a blush to her cheeks. But then again she was considered pack now.

The pictures of the family on the walls gave the Inu no Taisho a 'family man' image along with his fearless warrior character. As much as she liked to humourise (it's a word now) the hobby, as she seemed to have an uncanny ability to do with most situations she found herself in, she could not deny that painting did seem to suit him. The more Kagome thought about it, the more she found she could easily imagine him slaving over the paints, creasing his intelligent brows. He could be dense, but he was intelligent.

What she liked about the study too more than the books which allowed her to read to pass the time was the gigantic desk in the middle. It was usually littered with papers and pieces of equipment showing just how much work the Lord had to do as a monarch. It had numerous drawers in which to hide papers you did not want to have to deal with, each adorning a polished brass handle that blinded her with its brilliance when the light caught it at the right angle. It was back to its usual mess she noticed with distaste.

Apparently the Inutaisho took great pride in his desk as well and had not only the wood waxed but the brass handles polished every day, and did not seem to mind if the rest of the room was ignored as long as his desk was taken care of. She already knew he liked his desk, but this new revelation about how much he liked it was recent news to her. Kagome was glad he did like such a beautiful piece of furniture, but was very slightly disheartened at this, though she could not really blame him, because it meant they had something in common.

When they had something in common, no matter how menial or inconsequential, such as liking a study desk, it created a topic of conversation that was open to only the two of them, it created a bond. Kagome wanted no bonds like that between them, she would like to be on friendly terms with him sure, she did not want to make an enemy out of the Lord, but did not want to classify him as a friend more than a favoured acquaintance.

She did not like getting too close to him; she liked him a little sure, and getting to know him she found that it wasn't like he was a bad person-demon thing or anything like that, though he did rule his lands with an iron fist. However, he made her uneasy, not just with what he did to her in that examining manner, but by his very domineering presence and just because he was Inuyasha's and Sesshoumaru's dad.

He was dead in her time, by 'her time' she meant the one she lived most of her time in, so the feudal era, she considered it her home, he was dead in her actual time too of course. This was a rather prejudiced reason for complete avoidance of his person, but to be fair, he did his own fair share of things to make her wary of him anyway. She was not frightened of him, well maybe a little, but she did not like to admit it, he had not done anything threatening or imposing enough to warrant fear from her, but she was definitely nervous and eerie.

Kagome had dealt with this problem of being nervous of him, by avoiding his Lordship as much as possible. This had played out in her favour actually, because she did this by spending every moment she could with Sesshoumaru. She was friends with him already, but she was also gaining an undeniable infatuation for him too, and was being assured by some servants she had made good friends with who knew the young prince well that she feeling was mutual. She wanted to make a good friend of the little ice Lord Prince, and he was beginning to warm up to her more than ever, spilling his secrets and what he was feeling and thinking.

She didn't just want to make a friend of him out of selfish reasons of not wanting Sesshoumaru to make constant attempts on her life, but for others too. Not living in slight fear of the next Lord of the Western Lands where the only thing they shared was hate and feuding came as an added bonus. She wanted to give him, and then possibly Inuyasha a better childhood and a better life, they both deserved it, and if they bonded then both their lives would play out for the better. It was simple logic to her, brothers should get along.

To do this she had to get Sesshoumaru to stop hating humans, or as it seemed at this moment in time while he was still a child, to prevent him from hating humans. He did not have to even like them; just accept ningens enough to understand that having human blood was not a disgrace. And if she had time get him to realize that not all humans were smelly, dirty, stupid, second class creatures not worthy of his acceptance or attention. That way, the future would not be so bleak for them, she hoped so at least.

Souta meant more to her than practically everyone, because he was her baby brother, someone she had to protect. She loved him more than Inuyasha, her mother and almost as much as Shippou, her own son, and she was heartbroken by the fact the Inu brothers fought they way they did. Siblings should love each other and protect each other and be on each other's side unconditionally. They should help each other out and be on the same side no matter what.

She did not think she could make then love each other the way they should, or nearly as much as her and Souta, she was aware she loved Souta more than most big sisters loved their younger sibling, especially if it was a boy. But she was sure she could improve their relationship a little bit at least, if she thought about it, it's not like it could get much worse. That was usually the only amount of incentive she needed to embark upon a mission however difficult, scary, stupid or embarrassing the challenge or ambitions may be.

The only reason why she was in the Inu no Taisho's study right now was because everyone else was there too. She was not your conventional miko of this time she knew, who spent all their time on their own in a quiet place somewhere meditating or praying. She was a social creature and preferred to spend her time in the company of others like... like members of a pack. Here she was with Sesshoumaru, Touga and Izayoi, Inuyasha was asleep – her pack for the moment.

It seemed to be a once a week evening thing for the Taisho's, to spend some time as a family in Touga's study. As she was thought of an honoured member of the family for now, she was required to come to these mandatory family get togethers. They seemed pointless to Kagome seeming as once they all get to the study, after a couple of nods greeting, which were more of Touga confirming everyone had turned up rather than a greeting, everyone just did their own thing anyway. They may as well be in their separate rooms like the other evening anyway.

Touga usually settled down at his desk and focused on work, because he always had work to be doing. It was amazing he managed to fit in food, sleep, sparring and painting because he spent an inordinate amount of time working in the study. Then again, youkai, especially powerfully Daiyoukai Lords like him do not need to sleep as much, or eat as much come to think of it. And they did things quicker than humans anyway.

The lady of the West which was Izayoi's title was content to sit and read – something Kagome had learnt not many human women could do, so it was yet another thing that made her different. Sesshoumaru used to do work of his own, but the last two Friday evenings when she had been there he had done little else than stare at her. This was something that Inutaisho liked to do on occasion as well but in a less obvious way.

Kagome could not read when Sesshoumaru was staring at her in such an intense and obvious manner. She had been reading a good novel she had found buried under a pile of other books that nobody had looked at before too. He looked a little threatening and it made her scoot closer to the Lord of the West. Though she was oppressed and made nervous by his very presence he was most definitely safe, and was not threatened or frightened by him or his actions, or staring. He for one Kagome was sure was someone who was definitely not going to try and kill her, like his sons had tried to, or will try to.

She was not looking at his face so did not see the delighted look on it when she sidled up to him. She was practically sitting at his feet before she stopped, to be any closer she would have to be sitting in his lap, something she was not going to attempt. While she was sitting under his desk on the ridiculously comfortable thick carpet, she saw some sheets of work littering the floor. Looking at them she was surprised to find there were mathematical sums on them, what was more surprising still was that they were sums that she could do. This was a miracle in itself because she was absolutely crap and maths and always had been.

Curious as to whether she was capable of doing what the Inutaisho was currently working on; and having trouble over, Kagome stood up and peered over his shoulder at his work. To do this she had to put her hands on his shoulder – physical contact – a thing she had been avoiding with him, to see. Inutaisho smirked, he was not stopping her, he thought he was indulging her, letting her look at something she probably could not understand the question of. Well, she would show him for thinking her so clueless.

She was right; she could do the problem he was currently working on. It was simple maths really, something she remembered studying with Souta not long ago who had always been a couple of years ahead academically with maths and sciences. He was stuck, puzzling over a couple of lines of working out, seeming as it was a relatively simple sum to her, just one that required lots of writing, that meant he probably made a mistake earlier in the working out.

There were three pages of working out on his desk and Kagome bent over the Lord to look at them to see if she could spot the error. She then grabbed a pen and to the Inutaisho's and well everyone's astonishment, she started to mark it. She put a tick to the first few lines which showed he had understood the question, but then he made a silly mistake that was easily rectified, but easy for anyone to make, and messed up the entire question. He only watched as she circled the mistake to highlight it for him.

"You've made the mistake here," she pointed out, "that's why you can't get an answer out of the problem," she mentioned putting the pen down again and reminding herself to never look into his intense amber eyes ever again. "It's a small mistake but easy for anyone to make, and affects the consequent work."

"If you change it like so," she said, gathering her courage, picking up the pen once more and correcting the work swiftly and without looking into his amber swirls, "it affects all of the work that comes after." With this, Kagome scribbled out his elegant handwriting and did the work again with the corrections made in her messy scrawl. "Thus," she concluded coming to the final line of mathematics, "you are left with a completely different final equation which gives you this answer," she finished, writing it.

The family was amazed to find that she was right and Inutaisho was torn between being incredulous and embarrassed. Kagome mistook his look of amazement for anger, and he was a little angry, but at himself for not noticing such a small mistake, and she became frightened of him. She had been rather pleased with herself for this little show of her great schoolgirl knowledge as well. Now she felt like a hated teacher who liked to show off and flaunt their knowledge just to say 'I'm cleverer than you.' Was she actually smarter than the great inudaiyoukai of the West? No, of course she wasn't, but it was nice to think that she had bested him in something.

She wanted to excuse herself from the family gathering now. She did not feel unwelcome or unwanted, but she did suddenly feel as though, well she wasn't quite sure, but she wanted out, now. Somehow though, she got the feeling that was not going to happen. Besides, she consoled herself, the nonexistent 'bonding time' would be over in half an hour anyway, and then, hopefully, she could make her escape, and unscathed too.

Kagome retreated away from his feet deciding he was dangerous, along with the desk and his work. Sesshoumaru's gaze had not wavered from her form and now the Inu no Taisho had found a reason to stare at her in a more obvious manner too. Finding herself out of all other options she sat herself on a cushion in a secluded corner of the study which was safely cut off from the Inu family, in her own little safe bubble.

Everyone who had met the priestess knew that you did _not _invade her bubble.


	18. SESSHOUMARU

**WARNING! BAD CHAPTER**

**Soooo, yeah... enjoy this one. REVIEW THIS CHAPTER! Rewritten by my brother and faithful fanfic writer and reader 'rise against fan'. Thanks bro. I rewrote it again afterwards because he makes loads of typos. He rewrote it without watching a single Inuyasha episode, or reading the rest of my fic...so I hope you like the new chapter 18**

**Chapter 18 – SESSHOUMARU!**

"Hey Kagome," Sesshoumaru said sitting down beside her at the water's edge. "Sitting under the stars again? Star busting?"

"Nah, just gazing, I don't feel like it this time."

"I have come to talk with you," he sounded serious.

"Ok, I'll listen."

"Do you remember when you were giving me rules on how to be a good friend?"

"How could I forget?" Kagome asked with an amused smile. Oh yes, she would remember that day clearly for the rest of her life.

"It has come to my mind recently. As a friend I should be comfortable and natural around you. Be who I am, and not disguise who I am or anything I do. Not to try and be something that I am not, in your words Kagome, to listen to my heart. Kagome, being a friend means you trust each other unconditionally right? You listen to each other and believe what they say, whatever it is. You help them out and offer solutions and we have no secrets between us right?"

"That's correct. Is this about trust issues Sesshoumaru? Because I'm not keeping any secrets from you, and I trust you."

"Kagome, there is something I would like to tell you. It's not about trust, know that I trust you child, and remember that I know you trust me."

"What is it?"

"I have something to tell you, that has been a secret for a while."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru."

"I have been thinking of you, and I don't think I am regarding you as a friend."

"How have you been thinking of me?" Does he not like me, surely he can't hate me. He has said himself that he trusts me, and that he knows that I trust him. I have tried my best to be nice to him, I hope he likes me.

"I can't explain it."

"Can you try?"

"If I could ask for your advice on something Kagome. If you were in my position. What would you do if you loved someone but didn't know how to tell them?"

Kagome laughed, that was what this was about. Her little Sesshoumaru was all grown up and in love with someone!

"Well it depends on the girl, do you know them well? Is it in other words, really love, or more lust?"

"I know her, and it is love."

"Your approach should depend on the sort of girl she is. If she is shy then hold her hand and tell her how you feel, then give her a hug and wait for her reaction. If she is headstrong do the same things but kiss her before you give her time to react. There should be nothing brutal about it, but don't hold back, make sure she knows otherwise it will get painful for you, make sure you tell her before someone else gets her."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." She should have taken a leaf out of her own book and done the same thing with Inuyasha before Kikyou came on the scene.

He did not give her any warning; well maybe the talk was one. One moment he was sitting there beside her, and the next moment his mouth was on hers. He crushed her lips with his in the most brutal kiss she had ever imagined and Kagome could not say that it swept her off her feet. It was not a really nice kiss but she could not exactly say that it was a terrible kiss either; it was just not what or who she expected to be her first.

He took a hold of her hand and then looked deep into her eyes; then he said, "I have fallen in love with you Kagome. I want you to be my mate." There was the smallest moment of silence and then Sesshoumaru looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ah, wait, I think I got the order wrong." He grabbed her hands again and repeated the words 'I love you' to her in a voice just as sincere.

He had just told her that he was going to try again, this time in the order she had advised on. The kiss was much better than the first one; it was gentler, less frantic and less rushed, it was almost romantic. When he pulled away this time, Kagome was smiling; she was kind of annoyed with herself for telling him to kiss her but she never imagined he meant her. She was having a hard time not point blank laughing at him for messing it up and losing his cool, this was Sesshoumaru, he never messed things up, and it was kind of sweet. SHIT! This was Sesshoumaru! Sesshoumaru just kissed her! Sesshoumaru was in love with her.

"You have become very quiet," Sesshoumaru noted, his face falling, Kagome could practically see him starting to hide beneath his mask of indifference. If it had been Inuyasha then his little puppy ears would have drooped, but it was not Inuyasha like she wanted, it was, once again she would screech it in shock – SESSHOUMARU! Kagome was too shocked to say anything then, it was all wrong. Her dream was for Inuyasha to say that to her, she believed he was the one she was meant to be with and it was so surprising to hear it come from his brother.

It was more that the fact it wasn't Inuyasha, she had never envisioned herself with him. She could picture herself with anyone but Sesshoumaru. She could picture herself with Hojo more, although it would be kind of boring, but it would be safe, he was the one everyone wanted her to be with. She could see herself going with Kouga, well that would equal one happy wolf. He had Ayame, but Kagome knew that if she so much as suggested she wanted to take him up on his offer, he would choose her. She could even see herself with Miroku though Sango would not be impressed, or Bankotsu, two more scenarios that just would not play, but more so than being with Sesshoumaru, not the stoic little Lord Ice Cube. The only thing that would be more surreal than this would be for Naraku to propose.

"Your silence have words of their own young Kagome. I can tell that you are surprised, are you thinking of accepting me?"

Kagome answered with only silence, which is the best she could do. She told herself she was reacting with silence rather than failing to react at all. Not that there's really any difference.

"Kagome, I care for you, because you had shown care for me. Your presence alone is enough to make the world a new place to me. I enjoy so much more because you are around. I have never thought much of the night sky before, but your interest is enough to make it a beautiful sight. I feel like a different person. I see you like I've never seen you before. To me, right now, you are the most beautiful person I know."

"Sesshoumaru, I have a secret I need to tell you now. I am from the future, and I've seen it. You are... different, from who you are now. I've met Inuyasha and you. From where I come from, Inuyasha is grown up, and... so are you. I don't think I can relate you, as who you are now, to man I know as Sesshoumaru in my own time. I've seen you fight Inuyasha, and many times, and you were intent on killing him... and at one point... me."

Sesshoumaru only showed some signs of surprise. "I would never try to hurt Inuyasha, and certainly not you."

Kagome couldn't find anything to say.

"Such a future Kagome can no longer exist. I would never let any harm befall onto you, certainly not from my own hand. I would protect my brother with my life; I would not turn a sword to him, and never try to kill him."

She felt like saying one more thing. She thought she should tell him that she loved the Inuyasha she knew in the future. However it seemed too difficult to say, and also it didn't really seem to matter. Although she could never admit it to herself, she liked Sesshoumaru. She liked him in the same way that he liked her.

She didn't know whether she should return to her own time. If she did not then Inuyasha would become like a child, or younger brother to her. She didn't want _that_ to happen, or did she? Because part of her just wanted to stay here. In a world where Sesshoumaru loved her.

"Sesshoumaru, you know I will have to leave one day, because there are things I must do in other time periods."

"That is not a rejection; do you accept me, Kagome?"

"I want to tell you that... when I leave... if I have to go back to the future so I can no longer be with you, will you wait for me?"

Sesshoumaru smiled. "Of course Kagome. You are still not hearing me; do you not know what 'I love you' means? It means I will go to the ends of the Earth for you, I doubt waiting a century or two will send me mad, my feelings will only intensify."

Kagome returned his smile. She had heard what she wanted to hear, and so had he. She was happy that someone loved her for who she was. Now she could finally admit to herself that she liked Sesshoumaru. If he could admit his feelings to her, then she could do the same.

"Sesshoumaru, of course I accept you, and I would love to be your mate."

Neither of them noticed the Inutaisho dropping down from the nearby tree where he had been eavesdropping. He considered walking in on them again, but it would make no difference if they had already decided that they loved each other. His own pup wanted to take away his obsession from him, and he had no right to object.

He had been spending night after night with Izayoi, but each time he climaxed he was thinking about the black haired miko. He couldn't help it, he loved Izayoi, he really did, but it was undeniable, he had fallen in love with Kagome too.


	19. To be or not to be

**So, I had a scene and it turned into this. I am a lot happier with this chapter than I am last one. If anyone wants to rewrite it for me and send it to me in a private message they are more than welcome. I told twin my brother I was having problems with it and he offered to help, but he knows nothing about Inuyasha and its characters of my fanfics and is currently playing Halo reach, which he had actually written a fanfic for somehow. Anywho, enjoy this one, I liked it, and don't forget to REVIEW of course.**

**Chapter 19 – To be or not to be...**

Kagome sat in the gardens looking at the Kio pond and wondering why she didn't get the luxury of having so few worries. It must be great to be a fish, and all you do is swim around all day, occasionally nibbling on plant matter and hiding in some hole to sleep. A rather boring and pointless life of course, when your sole purpose is to swim around and look pretty. Then again, although she had previously thought she would hate such a life, plenty of perks come with a pointless life; the main one being of course is that it is pointless.

You do not have to worry about responsibility or duty, something that had plagued her all of her life. Before she was 15 she still had the responsibility of her baby brother and school work and other such things that only seem easy and mundane now. You don't even have to worry about friends or family as a fish because you are all together, and as far as she knew fish do not get tutored even if they do travel in schools, or whatever it's called.

You mate with the first fish of the opposite sex you see and you don't have emotions so you can't be bothered by love. You don't mate for money or status either, surely there was not some sort of chief fish to bow to, and you have no material possessions. You do not have any desires so you cannot be hurt when you do not get what you want, like Buddhists. Only fish do not have religion either, no nothing – that seems eerily family to how women are supposed to be, she learnt this in history, her favourite subject, everything is restricted, the male had all.

Women could not wear what they want, do what they want, they owned nothing, were owned by their fathers and then by their husbands, they couldn't vote. Their sole purpose in life was to drift from room to room in their husband's house looking pretty and being hopelessly devoted – like Jaken. Yes, Jaken made the perfect house wife, if he wasn't so ugly; he was ignorant, sickeningly loyal, put up with everything thrown at him to stay by his master's side and was relatively stupid. Kagome reckoned she was the pinnacle of what women were not meant to be like, because she was from the future.

She had always thanked the Kamis that she was born in the future and did not have to try and conform to what women of the 16th, 17th, 18th and early 19th were like. She vowed to study hard, learn about politics so she could vote and make use of what the modern world had to offer. And then she turned 15, practically dropped out of school, and spent the majority of her time jumping into the past. The only thing about the modern world she still liked to make use of, were first aid kits, chocolate, beds and baths. Perhaps this scrambled her brains somewhat because now she found herself wanting to be a fish.

"You are not gazing up at the sky this time, so I'll assume you are not forming shapes out of the cloud formations. Perhaps this is a new game – fish busting, that one looks like you," he said pointing to one of the uglier fish in the pond. Kagome could not keep the smile off of her face, who knew he had a sensed humour. Whether or not he sensed she was feeling melancholy and decided to try and cheer her up or whether he just honestly thought she looked like the fish she so dearly wanted to become, she was glad he was there.

"A fine specimen," she agreed with the nod of her head, "although she seems to be missing the black hair I pride myself on." She pointed to a whole huddle of fish and said, "That one is the spitting image of you." She heard the gentle footfalls of the Inu youkai as he came forward to try and see exactly which fish she meant. She heard the rustle of silken robes as he leant forward ever so slightly to peer into the water.

When Kagome felt he was near enough, she launched her surprise attack. She leapt up from where she was sat and wrapped her arms around his waist, tackling him to the ground. With a huge splash they toppled into the water, and a mini tidal wave later they were both sitting in the Kio pond, drenched to the bone. It was another one of her antics, but he deserved it, even if she wanted to be a fish, it would never happen and he had no right to call her one. He needed lessons not just on friendship but how to be a good boyfriend.

Even when she looked her worst he was meant to say how beautiful she was and say there was no need for her to be a fish. He was meant to be there for her to help her through her troubles and duties, although not take them away from her. Well, every little girl dreams of the perfect boyfriend and husband, of course she never thought hers would be a demon. She thought it would be a hanyou once, but her heart beat faster for this silver haired man.

"You look like all of them of course," she chirped with laughter, wiping her sodden hair out of her eyes. She heard no laughter in return, so perhaps, dragging him into the water was not the best plan she had ever had. Opening her eyes she saw her grievous mistake, for Sesshoumaru was standing before her with a shocked expression on his face, and was perfectly dry, which couldn't be right. With a feeling of dread in her stomach, she turned to see that the one sitting in the pond beside her was the Inu no Taisho.

Well, this wasn't the most awkward situation in her life, not at all. Facing Sesshoumaru, trying not to turn red and remain somewhat calm, she said the first thing that came into her head. "He called me a fish," she said, "and he had to pay the price for that insult." It sounded pretty lame and she was reminded of a joke she'd read somewhere... oh he was looking at her, not an annoyed way, more hurt... jealous? Hey if he wanted her to chuck in a Kio pond she would oblige, Sesshoumaru just didn't seem like the sort of guy who'd appreciate that.

"Don't look at me like that," Kagome said, being yanked out of the pool by Inutaisho but not looking at him so as not to offend Sesshoumaru anymore. "I thought it was you at first, and you should be thankful that it wasn't. Had it been you who said I looked like a fish then you would have been punished much more severely, you should have known better."

He scowled, but he offered her his arm anyway. "Come on," he muttered, let's get you all dried off and into some new clothes. Kagome let herself be led off by him, pulled along so fast she was being yanked at an almost run to try and keep up with him. "We'll go to the baths and I want you to soak there while I get you some more clothes. You are lucky you are who you are; my father could have killed you for humiliating him like that."

"Nah, he loved me too much."

"That is the precise problem," he snapped at her quietly but violently. "He desires you, I can see it in his eyes, he wants you."

"But he already has a mate."

"That excuse is weak. He loved Izayoi yes, but he loved my mother too. When she died he wasted no time in going after Izayoi because he loved her while he was mated to my mother. Just because he is already mated does not mean he will not try any sexual advances on you. In fact, he may try to keep us apart because of his unjust jealousy. You flirting with him with such antics such as dragging the two of you into a pond will only condone such behaviour from him. Please refrain, even if you did think it was me at first."

"Are you sure in your assumptions about your father?" Her voice though was not disbelieving, Sesshoumaru had yet to ever be wrong about something. She was just fearful; surely he would not try and keep her and Sesshoumaru apart? He had no right to be jealous, he had a mate! She liked Izayoi! She refused to play a part in any form of infidelity. This was just great, so now on top of all her other problems she had to try and get a certain demon Lord who very likely admires her in a very _wrong _way off her back and out her underwear.

Again she wished she was a fish and wondered whether she had actually been insulted about looking like one, if she was going to be a fish she did not want to be shunned by the other ones by looking different. Then again, she was different her and in the feudal era, she was from another time and spoke different, dressed different, moved different, acted _very _different. Well the way she acted was considered different when she was from too, but still.

This was too much, she shouldn't have to deal with something like this – it wasn't fair! She had strong urge to stomp her foot but out of context it would not mean much to Sesshoumaru unless she had that rant first and she couldn't be bothered. This was it, she was officially suing fate and the Kamis if that was possible. She was not quite sure what she was expecting in return, it wasn't money, maybe some advice of how to get herself out of this situation would help. She needed to think of something, and quick.

"How long do you think this... interest of his has been going on?" Kagome questioned, looking at Sesshoumaru with sadness. That was what she was feeling; it didn't make her embarrassed or even angry anymore, although those feelings did come for a brief spell. She just felt sad, for Izayoi mainly, but for Inutaisho too, he must feel a bit confused and angry at himself too. For she knew how much he loved Izayoi, he had almost died for her after all, and had howled her name in mourning when Kagome first met him.

"I do not know when the infatuation started. I think he realized it for you when we were star busting that night, and he accused us of being a little too intimate with each other while he was away. That was the true root of his angry, jealousy, not shame and a blow to the family pride. He was the one that carried you back to your room and kept a rather close eye on the two of us after that. He may have been carrying affection and claim on you, although he may not have realized it ever since you saved his life that day a few months ago now."

Did that mean... and for that long? Had she been Kikyou or any of her friends at school she would have been full of womanly pride although not about to admit it. The demon lord had fallen for her as soon as he saw her, and his son had followed soon after. She was being fought for by two incredibly hot males, one of which she only knew as dead, and the other one she only knew as an enemy come several decades from now.

This was a headache all in itself; surely she should not be subjected to this! She was not in her comfort zone; she was not used to dealing with such complications! She felt like a... she felt like a... like a... suddenly she swerved to the side to avoid stepping on a small fish that had been washed out of the pond caused by the mini tidal wave she and the Inutaisho had caused. She pulled out of Sesshoumaru's grip, picked up the suffocating fish in her hand, headed back to the pond and laid in back into the water – its comfort zone.

Yes, that little fish was right, this was exactly what she felt like... a fish out of water. She needed someone kindly to gently pick her up and lay her back into her comfort zone, wherever that may be. It was anything but the situation she was landed in. Once again she wanted to be a fish and be away from all these problems, but forgetting them or running away would not make them disappear. What is more, someone else would have to deal with the problems she abandoned and she did not have the right to do that to anyone.

So if she ever did find a spell that would turn her into a fish so she could live that simply pointless life, would she take the potion? She never thought she would be pondering such a thing, as she gazed at the fish that was now swimming happily in the water as if it was ever in danger, that small worry already forgotten. To be or not to be a fish... that was the question.


	20. Hell hath no fury

**So, yeah, Kagome decides to cook up a plan for Touga and his unrequited feelings. We will see if it works in later chapters.**

**Chapter 20 – Hell hath no fury...**

The answer came to her on the toilet, she would not lie – that was when and where it happened. Yes it was not the most dignified way to come up with an answer, but somewhere in between the number one and the number two the idea popped into her head. It was also very strange sounding to someone who may be passing by the bathroom. When passing by an occupied loo you do not expect someone to say "AHA!" In a very proud way. It gave the wrong idea that they may be speculating something you should not care to examine.

It was nearing the middle of June and that meant that a very important date to her was fast approaching. She usually hated this day because her own male role model was dead and Souta or gramps were hardly adequate replacements. However, this year, that date was going to serve as a perfect weapon, Inutaisho would know what hit him. It was perfect because it meant she did not have to confront him and it almost meant that she could tell him she cared about him without condoning behaviour or attention she did not want from him.

"Sesshoumaru!" She called to the young demon as he met her in the dojo for their daily training. "Clap me on the back; I've just had a really good idea about the issue with your father. Come on, pat my shoulder and say 'well done'!"

He obliged with a mutter of, "it better be good."

"I can't be bothered to explain in detail but I'll try my best okay. In my time every years we celebrate a day called 'father's day' where all kids, grown up and young shower their dads with praise and presents, it's the same at a different part of the year for mother's day. For those who do not have father, they shower their closest male role model they admire and care about instead. I was thinking that this year I would choose Inutaisho as my 'father'. I do not have a father of my own and I usually honour my grandpa, but I am not in my time, I am in this time and he really has been very good to me and I'm looking after his young son and all."

He did not look impressed.

"Sesshoumaru," she whined, this is the perfect way for me to show him how I feel. I care about him Sesshoumaru and so I don't want to offend and hurt him, just tell him that I don't feel about him the way he wants me to and his affections are better redirected to someone who appreciates them, like Izayoi. This way is subtle and avoids a confrontation, please support me in this, it's one of the best ideas I've had in a long time."

"I did not say it was not a good idea Kagome, it is just, I do not think it will work. You being affectionate and showering him with praise, even if you make it clear it is in child to fatherly adoration... I do not like the idea. Besides, he may try to make efforts to woo you, seeing your resistance to him as a challenge rather than a simple 'no.'"

"If worst comes to worst Sesshoumaru we will have to resort to a confrontation. I have only ever met one youkai who did not even understand 'no' then. But he was worst than dense and your father is a smart guy. The worst thing that can happen is that it won't work, it was worth the effort and we'll have to try something else."

"I am still not won over."

"What else am I going to do with the day; I am used to doing something. If you do not help me with this I'll get bored."

"Fine, I'll do it."

Kagome smirked in triumph; he did not want to risk her getting bored.

"So, we're going to do it?"

"Yes, I'll help," he growled in defeat, "What do you want?"

"I'll need a really big piece of card and some nice ink with a quill. I need a nice piece of ribbon, preferably blue to match his stripes and an amber one to match his eyes. I need some polish too actually, oh... and some..." she broke off as more and more ideas came to her. "You know what why don't you just take me to the market."

Now Sesshoumaru smiled, "you know I have not been shopping for a while, whenever something is needed the servants go."

"We should take Izayoi with us!"

"No," Sesshoumaru said immediately. He had nothing against Izayoi but taking a female out to a market place and bestowing gifts upon her were a traditional courting practise and he did not want a third party, but he could not tell Kagome this, something told him she would not appreciate it and might just call the whole trip off. "Shopping with one female is bad enough; I am not going to go shopping with two of them. It is one of the worst form of tortures known to youkai, no, known to mankind, you are enough."

Inutaisho was innocently walking down the corridor, sipping tea as he went. For once he was minding his own business; he was not antagonizing anyone or accidentally on purpose walking in on his son and Kagome during certain moments. He thought that what happened to him was totally uncalled for, and he was right.

Suddenly in a rush of white silken robes and wild eyes, Sesshoumaru bowled into him, sending him and his tea flying. They both struggled to their feet a couple of feet down the corridor, stained by tea and angry. Sesshoumaru looked like he was about to apologise but he did not have the time to stop, he had to keep on running.

Inutaisho was not going to accept that though and grabbed the pup by the scruff of his neck, keeping him back. It was then he got a good look at him, he was covered in white feathers – an interesting look indeed, but why was he dressed like that? "Why in the world did you bowl into me son, you should pay more attention to where you are going, and that tea was scalding hot, it might have hurt. You have probably stained these clothes and the corridor, pay more respect. And why the hell are you dressed like a chicken?"

"COME BACK HERE SESSHOUMARU YOU COWARD!" Kagome bellowed down the hallways as she chased after him with a burst pillow in her hands. She spotted him in his father's grasp and called out triumphantly. "HOLD HIM STEADY TOUGA SAMA! SESSHOUMARU JUST YOU WAIT I AM GOING TO KNOCK YOU INTO THE MIDDLEOF NEXT WEEK FOR THAT COMMENT!"

Touga let his son go, and he immediately took off running down the hallway. He may be competing with his son for the affections of this girl but he still loved him because he was his pup and heir. What is more, what is more, Kagome may be a human, but she is still a woman, and hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. But the more he thought about it though the more he was beginning to think that hell hath no fury like a woman ford stop. If he were to verbalize such a comment thought, he was sure he would be the one to be attacked by a pillow.

"Kagome," he stopped her, "why are you attempting to murder my son with a pillow? It seems in a rather destroyed state by now." He cocked one eyebrow, in the right hands; even a pillow could cause a few hard bruises. The hands of a furious woman were definitely the right hands if you wanted to hurt someone.

"I am fighting on behalf of woman kind; he basically called us all insufferable! He must pay in blood Touga sama, BLOOD I tell you!" She yelled in a battle cry as she lifted her weapon threateningly even though Sesshoumaru was long gone now.

"I see," Touga said, amusement growing as he tried to remain calm. "And what did Sesshoumaru do to warrant you wrath?"

"He said shopping with females was one of the worst tortures known to mankind! Those who do not cherish a woman's company must be punished severely. I am going to beat him senseless with this pillow and then force him to his knees and make him beg for mercy or I will castrate him where he stands." Even with the severity of the comment, for she did not look like she was joking, the threat was rather erotic to him.

"He has a point," he muttered absent-mindedly while remembering numerous trips to the market he had made with his mates. He did not notice Kagome's eyes darken further and she raised the pillow and thwacked him round the face.

"Come on," Inutaisho hissed urgently, tugging on his son's sleeve, trying to pry him out from under a bush. "Let me in, she will find me any second now!"

"No way!" Came his son's muffled answer, "this is my hiding place, go and find your own! Now go away or we will both be caught!"

Right on cue, a furious black haired beauty burst into the gardens and saw the two of them." There you are! Feel the wrath of Kagome Higurashi and the pillow!"

Several feathers later Inutaisho and Sesshoumaru were on their knees before her, praying for forgiveness which she eventually gave. "We're sorry Kagome," they said in unison, wincing from the bruises on their arms and torso, she could not reach higher than that. However erotic either Inu had found it; it was painful – painfully erotic.

Eventually Kagome wore out and huffed, dropping the now empty pillow on the ground. "Come on Sesshoumaru, let's go shopping."

"I'll cherish the moment."

It was while they were strolling the market place that Sesshoumaru confronted her. "That was condoning his behaviour by the way. Spanking is seen as very , erotic by many adult males, do not do it to him again."

"Do not do it to _him _again huh? Are you to say that you found it erotic too? Am I still allowed to do it to you then? It was not spanking, it was a beating, although I guess for a demon, my beatings are more like simple spankings." She hit him in the arm, and then lightly round the face while he just stared at her while she laughed. "Are you aroused yet?"

"I'm a teenager, of course I am Kagome," he growled, a confession she was not expecting to hear from him. "Now unless you wish to be mated here and now in the middle of the market place," he growled in her ear lowly and darkly, "I suggest you stop." Kagome was pretty sure it was an idle threat, he had more honour than that, but it was enough to ensure her compliance.


	21. Nurse Sesshoumaru

**Chapter 21– Nurse Sesshoumaru**

"Have we got everything?" Sesshoumaru asked with a growl, laden with bundles of cloth and other such good Kagome had demanded they buy. He had insisted to carry everything but now was beginning to feel like a pack mule. Kagome had of course asked to carry it all seeming as it was all her stuff, but he had refused point blank. The human was slow when all she had to carry around was herself – and her weapon and backpack which were like extensions of her body anyway, she never went anywhere without either.

"Yeah, we can go soon," Kagome said with a smile on her lips, pleased with how her plan was progressing so steadily already. They had all she needed to initiate her plan, card, decorations, ink, ribbons, paper, polish, edible treats, the best tea she had ever tasted, and a lot more besides. They had ended up getting more than they intended, because insults aside, Sesshoumaru was bringing a woman he was trying to court to a marketplace. She was oblivious to the fact he was courting her and treated him as no more than a shopping companion who was being chivalrous by carrying all the shopping – but still.

The trip had been a little romantic in its own way – Sesshoumaru had brought her a diamond necklace just because she had lingered on it. She had wanted to refuse such a lavish gift, but her want for it was too great, and it was not like he was short of money. In the end she ended up blushing and accepting it, it was then she realized that what was happening now may as well be happening 600 or so years in the future. This scene was not so strange or even new; after all, it was kind of like a date...

"What now?" Sesshoumaru asked, not liking the plan Kagome had come up with at all, cooling towards it with every look at the presents in his arms. She was meant to be discouraging him, and her idea was to shower him with presents? She was certain it was a good idea, but really, if she were to give him presents and make it obvious so much time and thought went into preparing things for him, he would not immediately lay off her. Jealousy shot through him – he wanted her to go through trouble for him and give him gifts too.

He has not said 'I love you' since that day he confessed his love to her for the first time and he realized he really should do it again. If he failed to say it again then she might find someone she loved more, or she would lose belief that he still loved her more than anyone else did. His love was young, he knew this, but it was real and true. At first it was puppy love, but it has been months since she last offered to be friends and he started to fall for her. Sometimes a crush remains a crush and it never progresses to something more than that. But sometimes, puppy love grows up, maturing into the real and true heart soaring feelings he had now.

The villagers were pleased to see them go; they could not help but feel apprehensive in the presence of the Western prince. It was funny though to see him the presence and seemingly under the control of a human woman-child. "Come Kagome," he said and she came to his side, holding onto his mokomoko as he summoned his spirit orb and they sped back to the Western palace holding onto one another huddled on a cloud of youki.

"What are you doing Kagome?" Sesshoumaru leant against her locked bedroom door wondering how long he was going to have to be made to wait before she appeared. "You've been in there all day and it's late in the afternoon now – open up." He was bored, she had said they would meet in the dojo for their daily practice in the early afternoon, and it was not creeping past 2pm and she still had to make an appearance. He sat down on the floor, back propped up against the wooden door and let out an aggravated sigh.

"You can practise without me," Kagome said in a muffled and quiet voice. Something Sesshoumaru immediately noticed was that she did not sound at all good. Her normally cheerful voice was lower than usual and it was not energetic but tired. It was the afternoon, she should not still be tired – and she had not appeared at the morning meal either, he had not thought anything of that though. He just guessed that she was not hungry, she had done it before, had no appetite, and in comparison, other days she would not stop eating the whole day.

"I would not dream of it," Sesshoumaru disagreed, "we are friends; it is something we only do together. Now you will either come out this instant or I will come in to get you, you have until the count of five. 1...2...3...4...4 and a ½, come on... ... ... 5!" He raised one foot and kicked the lock door so it was not only knocked off its hinges but splintered too. He walked in dusting off his clothes from stray sawdust which had gotten onto his robes.

Kagome just watched him with open mouth and wide eyes as he casually strolled into the room like he did not just break the door down. Sesshoumaru however was more worried about how she looked herself – this was not his Kagome. She was rather pale and her hair was lying limp and sweaty on her head. She looked helpless lying there as still as she was, not seeming to even have the energy to sit up to welcome him. She just lay under the covers staring at him, even though she was sweating profusely because she was overheated, she wrapped the quilt around her tightly, shivering in the cold only she felt.

"Kagome..." Sesshoumaru said quietly, looking down at her ill figure, "Why did you not call for anybody to help you?" surely she had the strength to at least say somebody's name, he had excellent hearing, he would have heard her. She needed help, not to lock herself away; well at least she had the sense to stay in bed and not to over exert herself. That girl did stupid things sometimes, pushing herself and her needs and health to the bottom of her priorities, putting even the well beings of her enemies before her.

"I was asleep until you called out to me," she said weakly, and this just worried him further. She was never weak in her voice. "I'm afraid I am going to have to skip practise today, you'll have to spar with someone else for today." She smiled tiredly up at him as she yawned and pulled the covers further up so she was swaddled up to the chin. "I'm going to sleep some more O.K, and would it be too much trouble for you to get me an extra blanket?"

"You don't need more covers," Sesshoumaru replied, ripping her quilt off of her, "you're boiling hot. You need to call down to break your fever," he carried on, placing his palm on her forehead. "Don't go to sleep again yet, I am going to get some food for you, even if you are not hungry you must eat and drink something to give your body strength. You are a miko you know this, at least your powers will help you heal quicker." He watched her whine and reach for the quilt still in his grip, but he held away from her and dropped it closer to the door so she couldn't get to it. "I'll be right back Kagome, just hold tight O.K."

When he came back she had managed to get the quilt back on her body and was asleep again, lulled back by the warmth. She seemed to have exhausted herself getting the quilt back too and had a small but triumphant smile on her face. He frowned and ripped the quilt off of her body again once setting the tray down. This time he put in on top of the wardrobe where she could not reach unless she climbed up there, and she was not strong enough to do that because she was ill. Why would that girl not listen to him?

A few minutes later she awoke shivering from the cold and looked at him with puppy dog eyes. "Sesshoumaru... I'm cold," she whined, "give it back." She tried to pout but couldn't quite find the energy to do so and ended up yawning. "I won't be able to sleep without it and I am really tired, so please give it back."

He didn't oblige. "You will heal quicker without it, I've brought some food, and I want you to eat at least half of it. I will come back with some cold water to help break your fever quicker, lay there and don't move, you need to rest up."

"But Sesshoumaru-"

"You'll find me unmoved by threats or tantrums _or_ fits of the sulks. I know this is difficult for you, but my decision is for the best, I assure you. You might as well resign yourself to it."

He left again to get the water and was just about to go back when he heard Inuyasha crying... not now; he had Kagome to look after for crying out loud! He waited for Izayoi to deal with him but he continued to cry.

He set the water down next to Kagome's door with a sigh and went to collect the pup. His mother was nowhere to be seen, she must be doing something else, and Inuyasha was still in his cot. He picked the boy up and cradled him to his chest with one arm as he headed back to Kagome's room, picking up the water with his other hand as he entered.

When he entered he saw that Kagome had not eaten the food and just took to shuddering, arms wrapped around her. He had never tended to someone before, it seemed like all of this was down to him – well at least it fit that he should tend to her, he was her lover after all, even if she did not quite known that yet.

He laid the pup on Kagome's chest which solved two problems. Inuyasha stopped crying once with someone he recognized as his mother. Kagome stopped whining not wanting to upset the pup, and stopped shivering once holding the little bundle of heat.

"Sesshoumaru, what if I get him ill?"

"Demons are not impervious to all disease, but are more immune to it that humans – I bet it was the tumble in the pool the day before yesterday that did it."

"But Inuyasha is only a baby – and only half."

"Doesn't matter. I don't think you've got something contagious, I think it is an illness from getting all cold and wet that day."

"Do you think your father is ill too?"

"He is a Taiyoukai – he is fine."

Without warning he scooped the girl up his his arms and paid her and Inuyasha on his lap and wrapped his arms around them as he sat back down on the bed. "I can't trust you to do anything yourself can I?" He used the chopsticks to pierce some meat and held it up to her mouth, "now you need to eat this so you get better."

Kagome immediately saw this battle as lost.

Three hours later a very aggravated and worried Sesshoumaru was combing her hair that he had just washed. He had tided and cleaned her room to keep him occupied while she had another little nap and then played with Inuyasha to keep him amused so he would not wake Kagome, and laid him back on Kagome's stomach when he too grew tired.

When she awoke again he made her have another drink and then helped her to the bathroom, something he wished he did not have to do again. He questioned himself again and again why he did not get a healer to help her with this before he came to the conclusion that he must unconsciously enjoy helping her like this and wanted to be the one to help her. Perhaps he did not want another near her – silly really, they were not mated yet, he did not have to be so protective, yet he was, ever since they became friends.

He laid wet cloths over her forehead to cool her down further, and gave her back the quilt. He conceded to let her have the cover, but kept her cool using other means. He was just lucky that his father did not catch him throughout the whole ordeal. She would be a lot better tomorrow, and he allowed himself a small congratulation for deciding to check on her.

"Thank you for your help today Sesshoumaru," Kagome muttered, stroking Inuyasha's locks with one hands and clutching his hand with her other. "Will you stay with us tonight?" She asked, wanting him to stay with her and Inuyasha.

"Why?"

"I just want you to stay."

"Fine."

"Thank you. You know you make a good nurse – you should do it more often," and with that she felt straight to sleep, still clutching his arm.


	22. Choices and consequences

**I'm proud of this chapter so please review and tell me what you think of it. I wrote it in like an hour and half it flowed so well to me. Oh, I am an Inuyasha fan, I really like him and I think lots of Sess/Kag stories give him an unhappy ending. This chapter is rather harsh on him too – but he **_**is **_**a bit of an ass in the anime so I am just keeping it in character for him. I do like him though, so don't flame me for it.**

**Chapter 22 – Choices and consequences**

"Your way of not leading someone on really astounds me Kagome," Sesshoumaru said, disapproval and anger seeping from every single pore on his body. he as being sarcastic which Kagome wanted to read as a good sign, seeming as he was not a sarcastic person, but as it turned out, that just happened to be another sign on his intense anger. Yes she had made a grievous mistake and they were now paying the price for that but she really was none the wiser. She knew nothing about youkai society and courting rituals, she had no idea she was initiating it, all she'd wanted to do was do something kind for the Taiyoukai.

"I do not understand your ideas at all," Sesshoumaru continued, pacing the length of his room while Kagome sat huddled on the centre of the bed, looking miserable and apologetic. "First you tumble the two of you into a pond, you have no idea how provocative that is do you? I bet it did not even cross your mind that while you were soaked, your strange white clothing clung to your body making it possible for everybody to see straight through it. Your favourite attire of white blouse and green skirt leaving hardly anything to the imagination as it is!"

A faint smile adorned her lips as she remembered what she did to the first youkai who did that. For some reason though, it did not seem the right set of circumstances to repeat such an antic. "The very next thing you do is proceed to beat him with a pillow! Admittedly you did the same to me, but he, unlike I, found such behaviour incredibly erotic, I do not know how you did not see it in his eyes, you made him desire you more than ever. Then now, you shower him with gifts and praise and respect like a female helplessly in love."

"I didn't know it would be interpreted the way it was. I meant those gifts and that praise in a totally innocent way, it is not my fault he's so dense!" Kagome whined, hugging a pillow to her chest and she sat on the bed with her chin resting on top of her knees. Sesshoumaru admitted that she looked so small and not exactly helpless, but it made him want to protect her more, something that he was sure no doubt bloomed from the feelings he already held for her.

Her protests fell on deaf ears and he carried on with her wrong doings. "As if this was not enough, you express desires to share bathing rituals! You have no idea how sacred that is to youkai couples do you? That is an activity that mated and courting couples share, it is intimate interaction, and you doing that... _thing _with his hair was sure to make him think you desire him too – it is one of the first things a female asks her intended to share with her."

This was it! How many times did she have to say it until he would understand? She didn't ask him to bathe with her – she braided his hair – there was a big difference! She did not have the will to spell it out for him again. "I'M SORRY O.K!" Kagome shouted, finally losing hr patience, anger lacing her regret and sorrow. "I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY! THERE IS ONLY SO MANY TIMES I CAN SAY IT SESSHOUMARU!" She started to cry tears of anger and regret both sliding down her cheeks intermingling with each other.

She started to deflate after her first shout, but he just would not listen to her, and kept making out like she was the bad guy here. This situation was awfully akin to her arguments with Inuyasha when she wanted to go home. He would say that she had no right to go home seeming as she was the one who shattered the jewel in the first place. If she was lucky he would leave it at that, but he would rarely let her off at that, but the fortunes rarely smiled on her. He would usually go on a huge Kikyou comparison which tore her heart to pieces.

She would sit him numerous times with her nose in the air and tell him he was an insensitive jerk, which he was. But as soon as she disappeared down the well, she would start to cry and say to Buyo and the stars and the unfeeling silence which could never answer her back or make reply or offer advice, the things she was too proud to say to his face. The truth was she knew it was her fault, but life is full of choices and consequences and nothing could change the past. But he would never understand that and she could never bring herself to tell him.

She was the one who shattered the jewel, but it had to be done to stop it falling into evil hands. She did the honourable thing though of helping to search for it, but she could not leave her other life behind because she had honour and duty there too. She believed she handled her double life rather well, but it was a double life and she could not leave either behind, and Inuyasha would not understand that. He would never be the perfect man for her and she knew that, although he was caring and protective, but that was his biggest downfall. It was not even the fact that when he looked at her he saw Kikyou and would not leave his dead love behind; it was the fact that he never listened and would never understand.

Whenever he said something insensitive and hurt her feelings with his talk of how Kikyou was so much better, Kagome hated herself more as she found herself making up excuses for him. She told herself he had a bad childhood and had never had to listen or understand anyone else so had never made the effort to do so. She said anything apart from the fact that he just didn't care and never would, she said and believed anything apart from the truth that her love was unrequited and he would never love her the way she loved him.

It hurt, for a while, but hurt soon passes with time, this she knew well. She ended up apologising for shattering the jewel and being the cause of Naraku rising to power and such like. She ended up taking the blame for everything but she had to understand that it was not all her faults. She was essentially apologising for being Kikyou reincarnation and that was something she had no influence over. She could not change her blood after all, but his accusations hurt her and she ended up screaming apologises over and over.

It was the same thing here, and the tears just kept coming. She was sorrier than she could ever express and she was sure Sesshoumaru became aware she was not just apologising for what she had done considering her father. He was right to assume so too, because suddenly out came all her hidden feelings considering Inuyasha and the jewel and the 'sorry' she wanted to scream over and over when in his present to stop the accusations.

Yes, the father's day tirade had gone to shambles, it was a disaster. Apparently Inutaisho's feelings were more intense than she'd originally thought and it gave him delusions. Sesshoumaru however was not placing any blame on him, shoving it all squarely on her. He was not being fair, but he did not seem to care about her feelings, just like Inuyasha. But the truth was, it was her fault, but he was being overly theatrical. Yes, she had made some horrible misjudgements, but the way he was shouting at her was uncalled for.

She had not meant for his reactions to be as such. She had not meant to try and take Izayoi away from him; he was doing that all by himself. She was not a slut who wanted two Taiyoukai just for the thrill of it. She was not some sort of common whore, despite her dress for someone to view and treat and view as they pleased. And the way he kept going on at her, not letting her a word in edgeways and refusing to listen reminded her again of every argument she'd ever had with his brother, making the tears come faster and harder.

Guilt surrounded her and his harsh words killed the protests on her lips making her accept all he said, making her feel as though she were drowning in regret and her own apologies. "I'm sorry O.K?" She whispered, tears still flowing freely and she wanted them to stop but they just kept coming regardless. And she knew it was not fair for her to always feel like this, for it to always be her fault, but she could not help it. "How many times do you want me to say it before you're going to be satisfied Sesshoumaru?" She choked brokenly.

"Nothing I say will turn back time this time and allow me to change what I did. How many times must I ask for your forgiveness on the matter? How many times must I curse my stupidity before you'll stop throwing these accusations in my face? You're taking every single little thing that I do and say, chewing it up and regurgitating it back in face in waves of disapproval and anger, why don't you stop and listen to yourself speak?

Do you have any idea how it is like for me, put yourself in my position and you will see that I am upset and sorry about this too. You throwing this wild claims against me is doing nothing for my mood right now and I kind of need helping up, not dragging down after today's events. No amount of shouting on your part is going to make any off this any easier for me. Why don't you stop and ask yourself what's the point? What is the point of shouting at me about this Sesshoumaru, it will not change anything? I had no idea things will turn out this way, and I was stupid and it was wrong, but it was the way things turned out and that's all there is to it."

Sesshoumaru seemed to decide to listen to her this time and enveloped her in his strong arms. He let the shakes of sorrow and tears rush through her as she cried onto his shoulder. He realized he had pushed her to breaking point and immediately saw the error of his ways. She had broken down and was crying out not only the hurt over this situation but the hurt she had felt over numerous situations before that he did not know about and probably never would learn of. He was sorry for had said immediately, for he was wrong and it was uncalled for.

He was angry, of course he was, any male would be, but this anger was stemmed mainly from his jealousy because he loved her. And it was these feelings that he and he only had for her that led him to say the words that Kagome had waited forever for Inuyasha to say. Yet they were words that his half brother would never offer to her because his feelings for the girl were not the same. "I'm sorry Kagome," he said as he embraced her, "_I'm sorry"_.

It was a simple thing to bring such calm to the troubled girl, but it instantly did the trick. He tears ceased on her cheeks, out of gratitude or out of shock, Sesshoumaru did not know or care. "I'm sorry for lashing out the way I did, it was wrong of me, so you don't have to cry, you were only trying to help, you did nothing wrong. You are not stupid so do not label yourself as such, do not confuse stupidity with ignorance or naivety.

You are young and are naive about love and my father. You do not know how manipulative he is and how intense his feelings can burn for human females. You are ignorant of youkai ways because you are a human and are not of this time – this does not equate stupidity. Don't worry, there are other ways, and if it comes to a confrontation in the end, I will be right there beside you. I'm sorry, and you don't have to cry anymore O.K?"

Kagome nodded and dried her tears. "I'm sick of it always being my fault," she said quietly into his haori, despite the fact he did not understand the full extent of what she was crying about. "It's not your fault; I blame me if anyone for not teaching you the ways of youkai mating rituals and the ways of my father. I blame my father himself for his misreading of your actions and his acts of infidelity and holding unhealthy desires for you he should not be in the first place. But what happened is not your fault; the world is full of choices and consequences and we have no way of knowing which consequence will come from each choice."


	23. June 19th

**Yay! I finished the chapter! Father's day is coming up and my dad's birthday is right by father's day too! My big brother came over today and we all joined together to buy him a sat nav. Being a 17 yr old girl I do not have much money, but donated a fiver, mum would not let me donate any more than that, though I would have done. My twin brother though the stingy little bastard only donated £2 for the gift – the only thing he asked for. My dad's annoying like that and will by something as soon as he wants it – I think it is a male thing. Just so you know, I have never and will never do any of these things for my dad, though I do love him. If you have, I salute you I really do, especially if your dad is anything like Inupapa. I salute you Kagome! Good luck! I don't know whether father's day is celebrated in Japan and stuff, I mean I know **_**nothing **_**about Japan, but for the purposes of this story... you know. Well my brother is about to take us all down the pub so see you in the next chap!**

**Chapter 23 – June 19****th**

"TOUGA SAMA!" Kagome cried out as she dashed along the corridor to catch him before he went into his study to read or drink sake or work or whatever it was he did when he went in there in the afternoons and promptly disappeared for hours not to be seen again. If he had to go into the study then she would go too and keep him company, A.K.A bug him. It was perfect father/daughter bonding time and it was the 19th June today – time to initiate her plan. But she needed some of his compliance for it to work to its best, she would rely most on her subtle tricks, but he needed to agree to let her join him.

"Are you going to go in there and work?" She asked for she did not want to disturb him if it was _really important, _but only if it was really important. She put on her most innocent face in a ploy so he would let her accompany him. She smiled sweetly, her best please-like-me smile, the very one which one over all her current school friends, including Hojo, he never left her alone now, so she knew it must work on him.

"I was planning on it, why?" This was a good start, for while he did not sound suspicious, he sounded curious and in an accepting mood, he was going to allow her in. She cast a glance at Sesshoumaru who was around the corner and sent him a secretive wink to show him she felt things were going to plan as of yet. If only she knew how the disastrous day would end she would not have been so optimistic. Events when downhill from the moment he allowed the two teens to join him, it was enough to make Kagome see the glass as half empty for the rest of her days.

"Hey Touga, I was wondering whether you care to learn about and share with me a very important date for me when I'm from?"

"Sure," he said disinterested as he slaved over paperwork.

"Every year we celebrate one day on the 19th of June which is father's day. Basically you give them a card and presents and that day they are your number one priority. My father is not with the world of the living anymore, but he meant the world to me. Usually I spend that day treating me grandfather instead or a particular teacher I have grown fond of. However, with me being where and when I am, none of those male role models who mean so much to me are around, so when this day came I was stuck as to what to do.

Then I thought of you Touga sama. You have been so kind to me over the months I've stayed here, I really could not have asked for a better reception. You gave me a place to stay that was warm and comfortable and gave me food and water. On top of that you allowed me to take care of your son who I love as if he was my own boy and I got to meet and become great friends with Sesshoumaru and Izayoi too. Everyone is so respectful to me despite my humanity and you have places my safety at a flattering high level of concern."

"I did only what was honourable and expected of me. To do any less after you saved the life of my mate and my pup and even me, it would hardly be right to cast you out."

"Still, I want to thank you for your kindness towards me because I really do love you for it like I loved my father and like I love my grandfather, although you I am sure are lot older than both of them by centuries, I was wondering if you would be my father for today?"

Now Kagome was not fool, he was just like his son, Kagome knew they were icicles, but in that moment, both Inus froze solid. In that instant Kagome knew she had said something she probably should not have verbalized. It was not like she was asking him to adopt her or anything, just allow her to praise him for a day. It really was not all that much, not to her, if it had been her time she needn't have even said anything, he would have known what father's day was and accepted the presents with no explanation needed.

"Do you realize what you are asking?" Touga said eventually, turning around to face her slowly, eyes wide, but not an immediate dismissal. Kagome knew full well what it was she was asking, but what Touga thought she was asking was probably something a lot different. A glance at Sesshoumaru confirmed these fears. His look reminded her of one she would shoot Souta when she could tell he was about to tell their mother one of her secrets by mistake. He was shaking his head slightly to warn her not to say it, but it was too late, she had already asked him – now she just needed to work out what she had said.

"I know what _I'm _asking," Kagome said slowly, being careful not to sign up to anything. "What _you _thing I am saying though I have reason to believe is different. All I want is to tell you how much I care about you today. I'm not asking you to have any obligations towards me at all, and if you don't want to be my father's day man for me today I don't want you to agree to something you are not comfortable with," things were taking a turn for the worst.

Kagome decided to pull on the next phase of the plan before he could object. She held out the card she had hidden behind her back until now so it was in front of his face now that he was facing her. He took it from her not really knowing what else to do and she smiled at him sweetly, that smile was forever getting her out of tough situations. "This is for you, to show you how much I care for you and to say thank you for all you've done for me. You really have treated me like pack I guess and I want to say that I really appreciate it – thank you, seriously."

He was dumbstruck and did not seem to be capable of saying anything so she pulled on the next phase of the plan without delay so as not to give him time to reject her. "You know Sesshoumaru and I went to the market a few days ago, well I brought you some things to express my feelings for you." She had plenty of things up her sleeve, (well where else was she going to hide it all) so now it was just a matter of giving him all she could before he got the idea. First things first were the things that her own father had always loved about father's day, and that was receiving more chocolate than he could possible eat in a month.

She could not get chocolate in this time, but she still had some chocolate in her yellow sack. It was not posh stuff, just common brand, but he did not have to know that. She knew chocolate was not good for dogs, but he was immune to poison so she reckoned this small amount of chocolate would be alright to give him. There was not a huge amount, not nearly as much as she would give her own father, but she did not have much of it left on her. "This is called chocolate," she explained, holding out the dairy milk bar. "It is an edible treat in my time – my favourite actually, it's for you, I hope you like it, my father always did."

He did not seem to know what was expected of him so he took it from her hands and muttered an astounded thank you. Sesshoumaru she was aware was viewing the whole thing from some corner of the study and was very displeased about all that was happening. "Go on try it," she urged as she opened it for him and handed him a brown square. "It's good," she insisted, "very sweet, sort of like you," she said to lay on the sugar. Yep, Sesshoumaru really hated that last bit; he was openly scowling at her now.

He tried a bit and seemed to agree with her seeming as how his eyes widened in pleasure, he liked chocolate very much. He decided it was one of the nice things he had ever tasted, and he was very old compared to Kagome, he had tasted an awful lot of things. "It's very nice," he said as if conceding she was right about something "would you like to share it?" He didn't want to because it was too nice to give away – but she had a limited supply of it and she had given some to him, so it was only fair he give some back.

"Only if you want to, it was a present, it is for you." She accepted what he gave her anyway and gave some to Sesshoumaru too who also liked it immensely. Step 1, was complete, seeming as he had accepted the present and the card he had agreed to be her father for the day and seemed to understand that she cared about him – but as one would naturally care about their father, and nothing more – no romance was involved here.

"I've got something else for you too, I brought it in the market," she drew it out of her sleeve to show it to him and knew what this was. "What have you brought me polish for; surely you do not think me in need of it?" He did not sound insulted, it really was not her intention, she did not want to make it seem as though he was not rich enough to get it himself or make it seem as though he needed to use it. It seemed he was in need of an explanation, he was an arrogant and rich Taiyoukai, she should have known he was bound to get the wrong idea.

"I brought it because I want to do something for you. It is not that I doubt you could do it yourself, I mean you or your servants would do a much better job themselves, but I wanted to do this as a sign of my respect for you. Will you allow me to polish your boots Inutaisho?" She asked him, offering up the polish and rag in one hand.

He blinked a couple of times before he seemed to come to a decision. He eventually pushed his chair back further from his beloved desk and lifted one foot so it was resting on a nearby pile of books. Kagome could not keep the grin off her face; he was playing the role perfectly. She started to spread the polish on thick and decided to talk while she was doing it because she was sitting at his feet displaying the ultimate level of submission by cleaning his shoes. It was not the proudest moment of her life, but she wanted to do it.

"You shouldn't do much work today Inutaisho, today is your day. I am sure Sesshoumaru wouldn't mind doing the work load you have for just today," she said, throwing Sesshoumaru right into the mess seeming as she had not discussed this with him beforehand. Inutaisho snickered as he sat there and watched her work on his shoes. Sesshoumaru seemed to take it all in his stride and said, "of course, what would I not do for my beloved father on this day." His voice was as emotionless as his face was, she could not see his face because she was concentrating on working on his father's shoes but she guessed he was remaining stoic.

Once she was done she decided to draw in the next part of the day. Seeming as he was new to father's day, she decided he needed guiding along every part of it. She drew out her ivory comb from her sleeve and started to groom his hair. Inutaisho stiffened at the intimate action – not that she knew it was an intimate action at the time. She thought this was just a normal thing; she had never done this with her own father before seeming as he had short hair, and Inutaisho's locks were just screaming to be combed.

"You would not mind terribly if I French plait it for you do you? I really want to try it with you hair, you've got the perfect hair for it. You can comb it out and put it back in your normal topknot as soon as I go if you like, but indulge me in this." She was not really giving him a choice seeming as she had already combed it back and had started. As she plaited his hair, she braided in the blue and amber ribbons she had brought.

As she combed his hair, fingers working deftly, she accidentally rubbed his ears. This made him utter a noise which sounded suspiciously like a purr, but dogs don't purr, perhaps a pleased growl. She had barely finished with his hair when he reached behind him and grabbed her arm. With one hard tug she was sent toppling into his lap. With her sitting on his powerful muscled thighs, what else could she do but turn into a cherry and stare into his piercing amber eyes questioningly, hoping he wasn't taking things the wrong way, but knowing inside he was?

"You are a strange girl Kagome?" _'So I've heard several times from many people,' _she thought bitterly, though it was true. "I do not think even the Kamis will ever understand you, you truly are unique, little miko of the future. I do not know whether you know youkai ways and traditions or understand the implications of you actions. I am beginning to think that neither do I care, because lately the feelings I have been having for you escalate beyond what you are telling me, though perfectly match your actions."

The kiss was unexpected even though the words were somewhat predictable. What she had been doing she had thought was rather innocent, but as Sesshoumaru would soon tell her it was the worst sort of flirting she could inflict upon some unsuspecting male. She didn't mean to act like she wanted to become his mate even though she had been from standing by him in battle, to helping to look after his son, the playful antics with the stars, the tidying of his desk, the fish pond, and the pillow. The kiss though was uncalled for and unforeseen, it was soft and tender, like she'd expect from her first kiss, not that it was her first kiss. It was an experienced lover's kiss though, and it was from a near enough complete stranger.


	24. Another 'wonderful' idea & 20 questions

**Woah – this took forever for some reason. REVIEW AND ENJOY!**

**Chapter 24 – Another 'wonderful' idea & 20 questions**

That was about as much as Sesshoumaru could handle – it was certainly more than Kagome could deal with under the present circumstances. She had had not expected such a kiss from such a person – but then again her life had always been a horror story. Some Kami had a vendetta against her and a twisted sense of humour. She had not thought she would ever even see the great Inutaisho – much less have him kiss her. But then again when she was fourteen years old she thought youkai were a thing of myths and it was impossible to travel through time.

He yanked her out of his father's lap where she sat blushing and blinking furiously, trying to decide whether what he just did, really had just happened. In a fit of rage, with a furious snarl he basically threw her over his shoulder and fled the study. He took her to his rooms and put a strong barrier around the room with his youki. He deposited her in the centre of the bed and started the furious pacing and he had yelled at her. He had no meant to make her cry though and he here sat holding the sobbing girl to his chest.

"Hey Sesshoumaru," Kagome murmured against his haori once her sobs subsided, "it is going to some to confrontation isn't it?" it was not a question but more like a resigned acceptance, so Sesshoumaru did no more than nod in agreement. "Do not worry little one," he said as he stroked her hair, a technique common amongst Inu youkai when calming their mates. "We shall do it together, so there is no need to fear. No come on, no more tears, I shall not allow you to show weakness in front of my father. The only tears acceptable inside this castle are the pup Inuyasha crying for his mother."

"So you rule my emotions now?" Kagome struggled to smile, not happy he was being so unreasonable, but knowing his was right all the same. She could not show any more weakness in front of his father. She had to be strong so she could refute him and push him back to his mate where his affections were meant to be directed. Of course she did not rule him and his emotions either; just as Sesshoumaru did not rule her tears or their cause unless he was the cause of them... which he was only partly this time.

She needed him to fall in love with her again so he would move away from her. Izayoi was a good person and was an innocent party in this. She needed Inutaisho to notice his love for her and then he would never leave her again. How to do it was the question, but she had gotten Yuuka to fall in love with her dream boy and he was dense, she was a skilled and experienced match maker. It seemed that another trip to the market was in order.

"Hey Sesshoumaru, would you kill me if I told you I have another wonderful idea?" Kagome asked nervously, wondering what reply she'd get. To be honest she was ready for another scolding, but there was no way she was going to say 'this one is not going to backfire' because they will turn out to be her fatal last words. She was rather cautious about her own ideas now, but Sesshoumaru was right in one thing – she was naive about the Inutaisho, and she was ignorant about youkai ways, but in no way was she stupid.

"That is a very real possibility Kagome," Sesshoumaru answered with a slight frown. "I will concede however, that even one of your 'wonderful' ideas is better than no plan at all. This time however I am not going to place so much trust in your plan and how well you believe it is going to work out. I am not going to go along with one blindly anymore, I did that with you 'father's day' idea and we both know how well that one turned out. I want you to explain to me exactly what you plan to do and how before I come to any decisions on it."

This was a reasonable request Kagome decided. Sesshoumaru knew his father a lot better than Kagome did and was also not so ignorant of youkai custom. He was also a pessimist, and Kagome was an optimist which meant she would not do what Sesshoumaru did without even realizing it. Sesshoumaru would look for every way it could possibly go wrong, and once he'd evaluated the blueprint, then he would either scrap the plan or sort of out those extraneous variables so they would not become confounding.

"Well, I was thinking of trying to get Inutaisho and Izayoi back together, make him realize his love for her... and then he will move away from me and back to her. I know he _really, really _loved her at one point, I heard him howl, when she died, he howled and it was mournful. I was thinking if we could make him feel that again,"

"By killing her?" He interrupted.

"I meant feel the love again, not the mournful part."

"And?"

"I was thinking we buy a load of gifts-"

"Gifts again?"

"Let me finish O.K. We will plant them in ways so no one is made suspicious. We will have to execute it perfectly, but we will do it in a way so Inutaisho thinks that the gifts he has been given he's received from Izayoi, and the gifts Izayoi had received she will think were given by Inutaisho, and then they'll fall in love again. If by chance they do find out they were fluked, it will not be until they've fallen deep in love again."

"The plan... is interesting," Sesshoumaru admitted after a moment's thought, knowing it will somehow go wrong, but Kagome knew it was going to be attempted. "I know my father well and what he will appreciate receiving from his mate. For Izayoi we shall get flowers and perfume, women find that appealing."

Kagome was offended at that crude and generalizing remark. "She is a female Sesshoumaru, but she is also her own person, and everybody's taste is different. For example I have not worn any bit of the make up in my room since coming here or cared for any finery. Not all women are the same, but we do share some traits. We are much more likely to fall for the man if he buys us presents specific to our tastes, it shows he knows us."

"You are to talk to your friend and find out what gifts she will find pleasing so we know what to purchase," Sesshoumaru agreed with a huff, he did not like being told he was wrong, but conceded he was wrong, and the plan working was more important than a slightly wounded ego, she was pissed he made it sound like his idea though.

"So Izayoi," Kagome asked while she nursed the pup Inuyasha. He didn't still need breast milk but Izayoi insisted on continuing it despite her complaints that he was 'sucking her dry'. Do you want to play a game called 20 questions?"

"I have never heard of this game before."

"It's a get-to-know-you game. I ask you a question and then you get to ask me a question and we come to know each other better."

Izayoi smiled. "I already know you rather well, we've been friends for a long time, it is strange we have not done it already."

"I know, that thought came to me too, so let's do it now. It's not like you can do anything while he's sucking, and then he'd probably fall asleep with a vice hold on your top meaning you can't move him. We don't really have anything else to do, Sesshoumaru and Touga are fighting in the dojo, and there is no work for us to do in their place."

"Alright, I guess it is a fin way to pass the time. I am going to set up a condition though – no embarrassing questions."

"Ah but Izayoi, that is what makes it fun," she said with a wink. Truly she had no intention of asking an embarrassing question, she wanted to know what gifts to get her.

"I'll go first," Izayoi said, "Why do you wear that uniform, you do realize it is considered a little indecent, no offense intended."

"No offence taken and the answer is quite simple. There are obvious reasons of course, the fact that I like them and find them comfortable, even more so than the finery of the kimonos provided for me. There is more than that though, these clothes are not from this time and neither am I. I do not try to talk or move or act or dress in a way that is not me, and these clothes fit who I am, and where I am from. It is not that I want to stand out though I realize it brings unwanted attention, it is simply I do not want to pretend. Do you understand where I'm coming from?"

Izayoi nodded, "O.K, where-"

"Nu-uh," Kagome interrupted, "it's my turn now. What is your favourite flower?"

"Why do you want to know that?"

"You're not allowed to ask a question back without answering, or ask a question as an answer, you have to answer or the point of the game is lost."

"Fine, my favourite flower is a white lily." So she liked a white lily, huh? White, purity, strength, confidence, it fits her perfectly. Good thing she asked her, if she had left Sesshoumaru to get what he wanted for her, it would have been traditional roses. "My question now, where do you go so early in the morning and why?"

"That is two questions, but I shall indulge you. I go to the hot springs every morning, a bathing ritual of mine, girls from my time like to keep clean and bathe entirely too often. Right my question, what is your favourite colour?"

"Gold," she replied instantly. This made Kagome smile, the colour of his eyes, interesting. "Right, my turn, what is yours?"

"Blue," the colour of her own eyes. "What do you like to wear, Kimonos or not, if kimonos, what is your favourite sort?"

"You're questioning my dress sense now? Well I like long kimonos, once which are modest, but seeming as I happen to have a mate that can afford the best I will not turn down finery to go with them. Occasionally I like to dress like a male instead, I did it when working for instance, as my kimono made moving less easy. I hardly own any menswear now; I am supposed to be a lady, the lady of the west, so it would be in proper. Right, for my question I want to know why and how you are so well educated, even more so than my mate."

Kagome breathed out a sigh as she resigned herself for the long explanation about schools in her time which was bound to take forever.

Sesshoumaru walked down the hallway contemplating all the things he could get his father. Sure he knew him well, but he had never wanted to get him a present before and he had no idea as to what he might want. After an hour of hard thought he had come up with a few ideas which were mainly, sad to say war based which did not give the right idea. Kagome would be disappointed with the failure to say the least.

In every lesson the first thing you are taught is to know the enemy, so this was rather embarrassing. He was a warrior though; he was used to head on attacks, bluntness, and not this deduction work. This was what he had spies for; they did the work for him leaving him with going in for the kill as his only job in war.

He decided to go and see how Kagome was doing. Upon arriving, he found to his distaste that the girl had turned the ordeal into a game, and Izayoi was telling her all she wanted to know without even hesitation, Kagome would make an excellent spy. He worked out the rules of this 'game' rather quickly and found that Kagome had to answer any question Izayoi asked in return, that was clever, it was a discussion more than an interrogation.

"So here is my 20th question," Izayoi started with a mischievous glint in her eye which had Kagome instantly on her guard, "what are your true feelings for Sesshoumaru?" Kagome paled, why did she have to ask that?

Then out of the corner of her eye she saw Sesshoumaru in his traditional white garb stride towards them, seeing him she breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry Izayoi, perhaps we can do this again sometime but now I've got to go."

"Oh no Kagome," Sesshoumaru said reaching them and coming to a stop with a smirk on his face. "I wouldn't dream of taking you away from your game without finishing it. I'll wait right here, I must say that I too am interested in your answer.

Walking in on awkward situation was something Kagome decided in that moment, the Inus had in common.


	25. Claws of jealousy

**Sorry Izayoi fans! I love her too – but you would be upset too. This chapter was inspired by Danyelle sama's Lord Sh'omamoo. No plagiarism, I was simply reminded that you need to know how Izayoi is feeling because she is not an idiot. I know, but you do not unless I write it down for you. Enjoy and review**

**Chapter 25 – Claws of jealousy**

Izayoi was feeling depressed, she had been feeling depressed for a week or so now. It had started the day Kagome had corrected her mate's work in the study that Friday evening and had escalated ever since. She did not feel bitter towards the miko; she owed the girl her life and was grateful she was so good with not just Inuyasha but Sesshoumaru too. But Touga had taken a shine to her, she was sure of it and was not happy about that at all. She was sure Kagome was an innocent party in this, but could not help but feel a little jealousy.

She liked Kagome an awful lot, but did not want her mate, _her mate_ to have feelings other than friendship, however deep that friendship may be. Kagome was not really helping with just being who she was, such as wearing that rather indecent outfit which made several people raise their eyebrows. What is more, she had many different sides to her personality, at face value she is a simple being, but is in actual fact more complicated and deeper than most people can only being to conceive, and Touga just loved enigmas.

Sometimes she acted like an unruly pup, though her antics were amusing more than annoying to Touga at least. Other times she could be like a wise woman, the example when she corrected Touga's work was one example. Then she is also a powerful miko as she saved the life of her, Inuyasha and Touga all in one morning. She is kind and compassionate and she helps demons and hanyous alike with humans, something you could not say for any other miko. She is a loyal friend and is the best thing that has ever happened to Sesshoumaru. She is innocent, far too innocent or a girl, especially of her ripe age. First and foremost she was from the future, an anomaly indeed, one Touga could never resist.

She tried not to be disheartened, for she knew Touga still loved her, marginally at least, but that love was not as intense as it first was. She remembered what it was like when she first met the demon Lord, she did not even know who he was then. And in the early days of their courting they were like kids in love, though he was so much more experienced than she, and she loved him, and he loved her, and all was well.

Now, now she was not so sure about where she stood with him. When he saw her she saw love in his eyes, but also guilt, because he was thinking of someone else, her, Kagome. Yet it was understandable, but it hurt, and she did not want to hate Kagome, but that is what the claws of jealousy do to you.

Looking out the window she saw them again, without any warning she reached up and pulled him into the Kio pond, playing around as if this was natural behaviour for them. She acted the same way towards Sesshoumaru yes, but that was different, Sesshoumaru loved her and she loved him too. And if that was the case then why did the girl's every word and actions condone her mate's lecherous actions? This was not right, Touga was _her_ mate, _hers, _and no one else could have him.

Looking at the little girl that now appeared to be resting in Sesshoumaru's arms as he pulled her away, she found herself not only getting angry at her but resenting the closeness she apparently had with Touga. She was also aware that in that moment she had referred to Kagome as a little girl, as a young child, like Inuyasha even though she was no more than a couple of years younger than her and helped care for a baby herself.

Maybe it was the innocence in her words or actions or how she found something amazing and fun about everything she came into contact with. Maybe it was the fact that she was always energetic and had a smile on her face for the whole day. Maybe it was the fact that she played in the pools, splashing water in a mischievous childish way. She knew it was a combination of many things that made the girl seem like a young pup, but why did that appeal to Touga so much?

Honestly, what he was doing with her was what she wanted more than anything. Logically, she understood that if she was to be angry with anyone over it, it should be Lord Touga and not Kagome. After all, it was him that had denied such affection and playful antics to her, not that she made it a habit to act in such a way anyway. What is more, it was him who was breaking his vows to her by paying attention to Kagome that should only be received by her. Yes it was Touga she should be angry at. But she found that she couldn't do that as much as she tried or wanted to. Her ire was directed solely at Kagome.

Along with that, Izayoi began to wonder what it was about her that seemed to speak to Lord Touga so that he wouldn't allow such things from her. For this was true, he did deny her contact she wanted. She had often gone up to him and sat on his lap or held him arm, but he always stiffened at such frequent intimate contact. Yet he enjoyed and encouraged such actions with Kagome who did not appreciate such endearments, and rightly so, she should be uncomfortable with them as they were not for her.

Was it something she did or the way she acted that made it so she was not good enough? Or was it just that she wasn't as young and cute and innocent as Kagome was? Maybe she was not as interesting, Kagome was after all, although awfully childlike, a powerful and kind hearted miko that assisted demons and humans alike. What is more than that – she was from the future. Was it that his interest was now redirected along with his affections that meant she no longer had a place in his heart, or at least the place she desired to have, the place that rightly belonged to her as his mate?

Was she doing something wrong to validate his shunning? That was the question, and the answer to it, she didn't know. Nor could she understand that – for as long as she had known him, and that had been for a couple of years now, she had tried to act how he wanted and behave a manner that would please him. In fact, she had always gone out of her way to make sure she did things that he would like or stay away from things that would anger him. She had acted like herself of course; he would not like her if she was behaving in a manner that felt false. Yet it irked her that it was not enough.

In the whole time she had known him, she hadn't ever done anything that caused him to get angry with her. She was the perfect mate, everything someone would want, even in youkai court; she had studied for years to learn their ways so she would fit as his mate. So why wouldn't he allow such things from her? It wasn't fair! What had Kagome done that had pleased him enough to allow such things from her?

She was young, naive, knew nothing of youkai custom, and was childlike, too childlike surely for his liking she had thought – most importantly she did not even return his romantic feelings. This she knew and again she felt a pang of guilt as she once more realized her anger should be directed towards Touga. So why did she only feel longing and no ill will, was it her love blinding her? That too, she didn't know.

But she did know that she couldn't help but start to feel some ill will towards the little girl despite what her conscience said to her. The head does its best but the heart is the boss and because she was in love with Touga, the ill will that she loathed to feel for him was redirected to Kagome. Kagome was her friend and had saved her life by almost sacrificing her own, and she did not feel right with feeling ill will towards her either, but it was slightly better than disliking her own mate.

Here it was, she had known him far longer than Kagome had, but still, it was _her_ that was getting all the things she wanted. She was getting the physical contact, special interest and attention, care and protection, playing around, romantic and lustful desires. Kagome did not want his attention and had sort of made this clear to him. Taking her chance she had tried to make herself more appealing to her man. She dressed a little more like Kagome did and was overly affectionate to him.

But still it was not enough for him! Did Touga not know she loved him so much? There was a limit to the number of times she could say it before it lost its meaning. What else could she do to make it clearer – write it on her forehead? How could she show it to him without becoming overbearing? She would die for him without a second thought, did he not know that? There was a time he would have done that for her too. He would have done so too, he almost died for her but a mere two months ago.

But still, it was all for Kagome, everything about him, even that protection, she could see it in his eyes. Oh no, she didn't like that, not one bit! Something had to change with this regime, it just would not do. Either Kagome needed to back off and stop doing such things or Lord Touga needed to start doing that with her too. No, not her _too, _what in the world was she talking about? Recent events must be messing with her head, she cannot have already resigned herself to the fact Kagome was going to receive this treatment and there was nothing she could do about it.

She was his mate, _her,_ how many times did it need to be said before it was understood? And therefore, she should receive the attention and love that at the moment was only being given the newcomer miko. Sure, she loved it when her protector who happened to be male of course was affectionate with her. He brought her presents and cheered her up when she was feeling down. She wouldn't change that for the world, but she felt she deserved it from Touga too, and well, Kagome didn't.

Slouching back a bit, she lowered her eyes to the floor then tried to banish those dark thoughts from her mind. But she found she couldn't. They just kept cropping up no matter what she tried. Really, she knew she wasn't being fair to her new friend and it wouldn't help to get mad at her about it, but she couldn't shake it. She wanted this so much, needed it, deserved it, she be having it, and she wasn't getting it! Sighing, she shut her eyes and blinked back tears of frustration.

Izayoi was encountering a problem since yesterday.

If this kept out then God damn it, she was going to be the one to commit adultery first. Her protector Nowaki was so sweet. He was kind and caring and was always there for her, not seeming to care whatever the matter was. She had been more affectionate with him lately to try and make her mate jealous, but he had not seemed to notice and all that came from the ploy was for her to start to fall for him.

She needed a hug.

Right on cue the door knocked and in came Nowaki, with his caring smile right in place. Without thinking she dashed across the room and hurled herself into his arms. She hated herself for this, she was just as bad as Touga, but his warm, strong body was so comforting for her in these trying times. Could Touga not see she was screaming for him? She needed him to come and save her – now.

**Virtual cookie for who can tell me which anime Nowaki comes from and who he is!**


	26. Plan B

**Well done to all who got it right! Nowaki Kusama is indeed from junjo romantic – I LOVE that anime so much – especially season 2. It is startlingly similar to Inuyasha really. There are two feuding brothers Haruhiko and Akihiko, Sess and Inu. Akihiko loves Misaki, Inu loves Kagome. On the sidelines we have Miroku and Sango – Nowaki and Hiro – and Miyagi and Shinobu (spelling?) well anyhow – enjoy and review!**

**Chapter 26 – Plan B**

Sesshoumaru's smile had not left his face for the whole time they were in the market. They had been in trawling from village to village checking out each market for three hours now. It was usually a struggle to get him to even smirk at you for a millisecond and he had been grinning at her for hours now. It was a welcome change but beginning to get a bit creepy and not like the Sesshoumaru she knew at all. Usually the smile was nice to look at, but the trouble here was why he was smiling, not the simple fact he was. He was smiling because of what she's said that morning and it gave her the impression that he was laughing at her instead of pleasantly smiling at her.

She liked the trip, she really did, and it was always good to get out of the castle. Of course Izayoi could not come with them this time either because some of the presents were going to be for her. "Look Sess, it really is good to know that you are smiling and all, you really should do it more often I meant that. It is also good to know that you like me and now you know I feel the same and all, but could you please get that ditzy smile off your face now?" She almost yelled at him, he was acting way too pleased with himself.

He did not comply, he just grinned even more broadly and then, unable to contain himself had the audacity to break out into laughter right to her face. Honestly, she spent years trying to work out if he could ever do that and all it turned out she had to do was say the truth – she did not even make a fool out of herself, or at least it shouldn't have felt like that. Sure she was still a little red from the embarrassment of the whole thing though.

"You love me," he said triumphantly as they strode arm in arm through the market square. That was what she had said. She had been cornered and ended up blurting out, in no quiet voice with both Izayoi and concerned demon as witnesses that she was _pretty sure _she had fallen for Sesshoumaru. Those were her exact words, "I think... that is... I am pretty sure I have fallen for Sesshoumaru too." She had not planned on ever having to say it out loud, especially not to anyone's face, but she said it. Said it with copious amounts of stuttering and refused to look anyone in the eye and did a startling good impression of a tomato, but she said it.

Sesshoumaru had crowed about his triumph ever since and it was getting on her nerves. "If you do not shut up about what happened we are shopping separately!" the threat was real enough and he should have realized and accepted that as a threat. Of course this was not to be and all he did was smirk wider as he once again made her relive those torturous words. "You love me far too much to leave my side," he declared in a voice so confident she almost believed him.

"Hey I never said that!" She realized after a moment's thought, damn the arrogant pompous ass, so sure of himself he made people question their own thoughts and actions. He was making her lose her mind and it was all because she had difficulty saying she loved him, and she did, she couldn't help it, she did love him and quite a lot too.

"Nevertheless you mean it."

"That may be true but I shall call your bluff this time! You go that way and get Inutaisho's presents and I'll go this way and get Izayoi's."

That wiped the smirk right off his face as he was forced to own up to something he was not accustomed to doing – he had failed. He did not know what his father would want, Kagome though, she was good at this sort of thing, he needed her help. It was the point he had to tell her that was worst – because he had been tormenting her and now she could do the same back. "Kagome, I don't know what to get him."

"You don't know your own father? You are pathetic!" That was harsh and he flinched but he deserved it 100%. "I guess we will have to do this together, but no more taunts you hear me, or you will have hell to pay!" The shopping trip was silent for a full 10 minutes after that, Sesshoumaru shocked into silence and Kagome all puffed to exhaustion and out of things to say. The silence however wore on her eventually.

"We will get the things for your father first," she decided, seeming as that would be harder. "If you see something that speaks his name trust your intuition and get it," she said. Ever the optimist she was sure they would find a good armful of things. It would not really matter that much what she got him, as long as Touga still held some affection for his mate then he shouldn't care. It was Kagome's thinking that it was the thought that counted. So as long as he thought that Izayoi bought the presents, or at least acquired them somehow seeming as she had not gone to the market, then he would be happy with the gesture.

Izayoi would be slightly harder to please, being the woman she was. Females needed to actually receive they want to be happy, the gesture was sweet whatever was received but it was so much better to get something nice too. Seeming as this was not valentines or a birthday or Christmas, all that was needed was something small, such as flowers and chocolates. Even though Inutaisho was the Lord of the West and capable to get her so much more, showering someone with presents all the time means they have less meaning.

"Sesshoumaru, get him that dagger," Kagome said with wide eyes, pointing at the most beautiful dagger she had ever seen. It was rather small, but the blade was so shiny in the light and obviously had things engraved on it. The handle was covered in intricate designs and obviously made out of some precious metal, with a ruby in the middle surrounded by sapphires and chipped diamonds. The sheath was rather plan in comparison, just sturdy leather, still, it was nicer than any piece of jewellery she had ever come across – it was perfect.

"Why do I have to buy it?" Sesshoumaru asked, not liking the look of it at all, and not wanting to be the one to buy it either. "Father does not need another weapon, certainly not a dagger when he has several powerful swords already. Plus, it is far too... flashy for lack of a better word; it carries far too much flair for a weapon. Besides, getting him something like that may insult him, it seems as though she would be questioning him ability to protect her of provide for her, a courting male buys presents for their intended, nobody else."

"You're not getting the point!" Kagome snapped exasperated, "It is the thought and suitability that counts, I know he is the Lord, there isn't possibly something we could give him that he really needs more than a slap maybe. The dagger is a brilliant portrayal of him if you think about it, and we can write this in the card make to give him. It is deadly in the write hands, but at the same time it is beautiful, that is your father, deadly and gorgeous. I can't buy it because they probably will not sell something like that to a woman, now and go and buy it while I look for something else, we might need more than one present."

No sooner had those words left her mouth when she saw it – an amber pendant on a silver chain. It was jewellery yes, so not something Sesshoumaru would approve of, but while he had no ideas himself he was going to have to agree with whatever she decided. This pendant matched his eyes and hair, the two most gorgeous features of his body, this sort of thing would be perfect for Sesshoumaru too – but this was not about him. This was about his father and his step mother and making two people fated for each other fall back in love.

And now a further two hours later Sesshoumaru was supporting a tired and hungry Kagome around the last village they were going to check. The two had not been able to decide on anything, now all they had was a knife, a pendant, some roses and some materials to make a card for Inutaisho. For Izayoi they had a diamond necklace and some perfume that you use when bathing. Kagome was still not happy with what they had.

Then suddenly she saw a large patch of flowers, lots of different types. This was not natural – it was another stall, someone had collected these and was selling them. "Can I help you?" Asked someone a little ways off, a ningen man, he ran the stall. "Would you like to purchase some flowers for your sweetheart?" He was addressing Sesshoumaru now. Well, he was not completely wrong they did need to get flowers for somebody's sweetheart after all. And she was known as Sesshoumaru's... well a very close friend if nothing else.

"I'd like some roses," Sesshoumaru said, pushing Izayoi into a category with all women. All women liked roses according to him, so roses it would be. But that was not true, what was the point of playing 20 questions if they did not use the information? Kagome called out to put a stop to him pulling the rose out of the earth in was embedded in. "Get some white lilies instead, do you have any of those sir?" Thankfully he did, and hopefully Inutaisho knew her favourite flower too, or it would be a bit suspicious.

"Why did you want lilies?" Sesshoumaru asked her as they walked away once more, Kagome clutching a bouquet of white lilies in her hand now. "Roses symbolize passion and love, so why decide upon a lily?"

"Not all people's favourite flower is a rose, not even all women, for example, Izayoi told me she likes lilies rather than roses. I like carnations and poppies, roses are like my third favourite flower, they are pretty of course – but everyone has different tastes. What is your favourite flower Sesshoumaru?"

"I'm male, I don't like flowers."

"Ridiculous, everyone has a favourite flower no matter what age they are, species or even sex, now come on, what is it?"

He breathed something that sounded like a sigh. "I wear my favourite flower on my clothes, I am sure you can guess what it is."

"You like sakura!"

"Hn," he nodded.

"You're right I should have guessed that," the continued to walk.

"Hey Kagome, I saw a kimono she might like." Looking at the piece of finery it could not be called plain by any stretch of the imagination – but she would not appreciate it as much as something else she could think of.

"It's nice, but I'd get some hakamas and haoris instead."

"Why? She's female."

"Well spotted, trust me, she would prefer them."

With another sigh he went off to buy them from another stall, the last stall they'd go to today, it was getting late and they really should be getting back soon. When Sesshoumaru was out of sight, he eyes drifted to the flower stall once more.


	27. A gentle shove in the right direction

**Enjoy and Review! Lord of the West's last chapter was horrendous; the ending is terrible too though it isn't written yet. However, this being my second story is much better than the first and hopefully you will all like this chapter along with the rest. It is a bit light hearted like the whole story really – so review for me! Both stories are drawing to a close now and after they are both finished I will be focusing on another Sess/Kag and a Sess/Souta. The Sess/AKg though I warn you now will be dark but I hope you like it!**

**Chapter 27 – A gentle shove in the right direction**

"I'm still not sold on this idea," Sesshoumaru said as he stared at the ceiling, only aware of his friend in the room, uninterested. "It seems... childish." It was a childish idea, Kagome knew that, but it was also love, and so such things were often overlooked in the name of it. "Many things could go wrong," he continued, and Kagome knew this too, but continued to slave over whatever it was she was making for the plan.

"We're talking about matters of the heart here Sesshoumaru," Kagome explained quietly in as calm as voice as she could muster to feign her confidence, "of course many things could go wrong. I am confident in this plan though, Izayoi and Touga are meant to be together. Their love is already there, its strength had just faded a bit, and I fear that is all because of me. However, all that is needed is a gentle prod in the right direction, or maybe in your father's case a good hard shove," she muttered the last bit knowing he could hear.

"Where shall we plant them?" Sesshoumaru asked his best friend as he twirled the amber necklace around his fingers, wondering how to do this inconspicuously. Kagome was working on making a card, just like she did on father's day, only this time it was going to whisper words of love and praise for a mate instead of daughterly adoration. Her only reply was, "I am going to need you to write it for me Sesshoumaru." She held out a quill and some ink for him to take and he did so, but questioned her reasoning for it.

"This card is for Izayoi which meant it was supposed to be written by Inutaisho. Therefore we cannot have my handwriting inside it, but your handwriting is exactly like your father's so you need to do it or we'll get busted right away." Sesshoumaru had to admit that was pretty smart, not everybody would have thought that far ahead, it certainly had not crossed his mind. He decided it was time to start to treat this plan of hers with more seriousness; he had been pretty laid back and uninterested so far. But if it worked that was all that mattered, because he would be free to have Kagome and not have to worry about his father whom he could not beat in battle challenging his claim. In order for the plan to work they needed to work together and at the moment Kagome was the only one putting in any real effort.

"Fine I'll do it," he said, wondering what to write, he knew his father well enough – what would he write in a message for her. He was not the one to leave notes, he just said what he wanted to, but if he was to leave a note it would be because it was very private, like sending a private letter to someone. Therefore it had to be very personal and if possible hopelessly romantic, he had found through observation that the human ningen appreciated that and his sire often indulged her in the sweet nothings she so loved to hear.

"What are you writing?" Kagome asked him as he scratched his quill over the interior of the card in the scrawl of his father, writing words he had heard come from his mouth. She sounded sceptical, she doubted his ability to write something she would appreciate, and truth be told, he had failed in the present criteria of the plan, Kagome taking care of everything. Hn, be that as it may, he was not as pathetic as she claimed and would prove useful in this new plan of hers. He knew his father like no other; it just took some time to realize that.

"I am writing, Kagome, words I am sure he would say. He is not one to hide behind sheets of paper so I am writing something important and personal so nothing is suspected. There, I am done," He finished with an elegant flick of the quill. His father signed his documents with a signature he could not replicate – but he signed his name instead hoping it would do. The present, Kagome had assured him would be the main focus anyway.

"It says... to my dearest beloved, to show you that you are my light of the world and to ensure you that you never fade in my eyes. Please accept this as a token of my feelings for you, and as an apology for not showering you with the affections you deserve. Please understand that I love you more than the world and if you but asked I would bring down the stars for you. Wear with pride and love and do not forget me... my Lady of the West."

That was beautiful – who knew Sesshoumaru was a word smith? She had to talk about where he learnt to come up with things like that later. Her dream of a romantic Sesshoumaru however was shattered in light of his next words. "My father in a fool in many ways, and always whispers nothings and promises that are impossible to keep. He told my mother he would bring down the stars for her if she asked him to – how idiotic. It is impossible to bring down the stars and nobody would ask him to do such anyway. And with the whole light thing-"

"O.K. Sesshoumaru, you've made you point," Kagome frowned with a pout. "This is not about your feelings though, it is about your father and Izayoi." Sheesh, and she had hoped she might get a sweet card from him one day – females love to hear nothings and she was not exception. If she was lucky she would get a card saying something along the lines of "I find your presence tolerable," or "you are not as vile as most humans."

While he folded the paper up and entangled it in the diamond necklace they would give her first, Kagome busied herself with the making of Inutaisho's card. "You know I feel a little out of my depth here now; there is no way I could match up to your words. What do you think Izayoi should write to him Sesshoumaru?" She had to write this card because her handwriting was similar to Izayoi's, but Sesshoumaru could still provide the material. Still, it would be nice to show that she could match up to his poetic streak – but she couldn't.

"My father does not appreciate hearing nothings, and he only barely tolerates saying them. Only a few words are needed," he answered. Kagome guessed he was right, he was a demon Lord after all, he probably only needed the three little words. Maybe she should put something to do with Izayoi's jealousy on the card – she must be a little jealous of her after all. If she was in Izayoi's shoes she would hate Kagome right now. It was not like she was trying to steal Touga away for herself, she didn't like him like that, but love and jealousy does that to you.

"O.K, how does this sound," Kagome cleared her throat, "you have always intrigued me with your beautiful eyes and hair, please accept this as a token of my love for you, your mate, Izayoi," she closed the card again. She hoped it was alright because she'd already written it and no way was she making that card again, she'd spent ages decorating it with rose petals and was rather pleased with the finished result over all. There was not much written in there, Sesshoumaru said it was best to use as little writing and possible.

"That will do fine," Sesshoumaru lounged on the bed, not really paying attention. They were in his room again as his was bigger and had been going over the plan and mapped out ideas to deal with the numerous ways it could go wrong. "I saw Izayoi in the courtyard with another guy, someone who looked to be a fire youkai, she seemed to be _really enjoying _his company," Kagome mentioned. "I think it is time we initiate the plan." Kagome was aware that that sounded awfully military, but this was a war of the heart after all – a battle to get a certain Inu Lord of her back and back into the arms that wanted him there.

"I'll take Izayoi's present for him, the amber necklace and put it in his study with the card. You take Inutaisho's present for his mate, the diamond necklace and the card and put it in her room. Make sure not to be seen!" And she slipped out of the door. Sesshoumaru followed and they went different directions. Sesshoumaru could not help but to sniff the present, and he smiled when he was drowned in Kagome's sweet scent. That was a reason he liked to be around her so much, and probably why his sire... OH KAMI NO!

Sesshoumaru dashed back down the corridor and caught the girl just before she entered the study she knew was not occupied. "Kagome wait, the present smells like you, if you put it in there like that, he'll think you gave him to him. Of course you did give it to him, but it kind of sends out the wrong message, especially after he reads the card!" He grabbed her arm and started her leading back towards Izayoi's chambers with him. "You have to get it to smell like her, you can't have her hold it without raising questions, but you can rub it with her clothes or something." He paused outside her door and listened, "it's empty, we can go in."

Kagome breathed out a sigh of relief at how close she had come to the plan failing. Thanks to Sesshoumaru's smart thinking and sharp nose, a disaster had been avoided. They did not have that problem with Izayoi being a mortal with mortal senses. She had never thought about that and it made her want to hit her head on something, again she was forgetting he was a Taiyoukai. He experienced the world differently with different heightened senses and different customs to humans which meant she had to watch it with him.

What could be a simple father's day ploy for her could be the most seductive of flirting when experienced by him. While she smelt nothing from the amber chain or the card, it was in fact cloaked in it, as it was made and carried by her. This was why she had Sesshoumaru with her, to make sure she did not fall prey to youkai custom again. What is more, silly little mistakes with disastrous results such as her scent did not ruin the whole plan.

"I think these clothes are used," Kagome said, rubbing them on the chain and the card. She placed them on the bed sheets which were yet to be changed and went to wash her hands to fade her scent. Sesshoumaru sniffed the present and the card several times; sometimes rubbing it more in the sheets until finally he was satisfied it was 'clean' enough. "Carry the present back to the study with a cloth or something so as not to get your scent on it again," Sesshoumaru told her and placed the card intended for Izayoi on the pillow.

He walked by her side until the door of the study and confirmed he was still not in there for her. "I am going to go and get something to eat before going to bed... I guess I'll see you in the morning and we shall see if the plan worked," and with that Sesshoumaru was gone. Kagome frowned at his behaviour, she had known for a little while something was wrong with him. He had been withdrawn from her all day and seemed... disappointed... no that was not the word. He just seemed depressed, he was not jealous anymore not after her openly admitting she was falling in love with him – and she was... but he seemed so distant and just... sad.

She shrugged off the thoughts as she entered the study, she would think on them later. Right now adrenaline pumped through her veins as she planted the present on the desk. She grumbled at how messy it was quickly organized a few papers to make it look presentable before leaving the room again as silently as she could manage.

She had placed the present square in the middle of the desk so there was no way he could miss it or overlook it. Everything about this whole thing was secretive and seductive and as she crept back to her room she could not help but feel a little excited about what was to come. She sat awake in her bed, covers brought up to her chin as she thought about her plan and how flawless it all seemed. Ever the optimist Kagome was certain this plan was not going to be backfiring, not the disastrous way the last one had at least, and ever the pessimist, Sesshoumaru was sceptical, but she was not allowing him to burst her bubble.

She rocked back and forth in her bed as a way to pass the time, body refusing to relax and mind refusing to stop whirring around at super speed. She sensed that it passed midnight and still she kept rocking, unable to do much else. Soon Inutaisho and Izayoi would be head over heels for each other, and she would be free to go after Sesshoumaru, or he would be free to come after her, whichever way things turned out to roll, she was fine either way really. Sesshoumaru was _still _sceptical but as far as Kagome was concerned, for now, all that was left for them to do was sit back and watch the romance unfold before them.

Love, Kagome had thought, like many other things would bloom quickly on its own but even that force needed the odd nudge in the right direction, and she was there to prod it. Yet problems arise when what you think are gentle nudges turn out to have the effects of full on shoves. Problems arise further when you push them forward expecting them to fall into the arms of another and they end up slipping and falling back right into you and squashing you.

Time certainly would tell yes... for many things.


	28. Of jealousy and Nowaki

**Sorry for the slow update guys – but both stories are drawing to a close now, though they are not written yet. It seems Sesshoumaru is more of your typical teenager than we first thought – though he is a youkai, not a human which makes things different. Anyway, enjoy this one I had a lot of fun writing it. And to those of you who know Nowaki Kusama – you'll appreciate this chapter even more. Read, review and enjoy!**

**Chapter 28 – Of Jealousy and Nowaki**

"SESSHOUMARU!" Kagome squealed from his bedroom window, "S.O.S IN THE COURTYARD! IZAYOI IS WITH A DIFFERENT GUY!" She ran around the room pulling her hair out at the disastrous scene from the bedroom window. What was she thinking? She could not have feelings for another guy now, it wasn't fair! Not when she was trying so hard to get her and the guy she was meant to be mated to back together as the loving couple. She was meant to be leaping at the chance to get back with him, not shunning him even more!

What about all the trouble she went to in order to plant those presents? Not to mention all the thought that went behind it? Honestly, she had come up with the idea of the game 20 questions, even gone as far as to reveal her feelings for Sesshoumaru which she never wanted to actually say out loud. Then there was the market place and all the trouble she underwent in order to think up presents for Touga! They spent 6 hours in the market place, trawling from village to village to find the perfect presents for each party. This was just not fair and there was no way she was going to let her plan fall to pieces.

Did she not like the present she got, granted it was just a piece of jewellery, nothing special or personal like a lily, perhaps she should have given her the clothes first. She was going to leave the extravagant presents for later though. She had thought it was Touga who needed a firmer shove in the right direction and here Izayoi was falling for another guy. "Sesshoumaru we need to break them up somehow, nip this little forbidden relationship in the bud!" Sesshoumaru just gazed at the couple seemingly bored and uninterested.

"Sesshoumaru!" She reprimanded sharply as he turned rather bored eyes to her, "do you not care that Izayoi is falling for another person! What if he ends up falling for her too and doesn't break her heart so she doesn't go falling back into the arms of Touga? Oh my Kami, they are looking awfully pally and comfortable down there. I never foretold a disaster such as this one, this is awful, Sesshoumaru what should we do?" She whined, practically having hysterics at the fact that Izayoi was liking someone else.

She watched in despair as what looked to be a fire youkai run his fingers through her hair and she leaned into the touch. Unable to take much more she ran downstairs and out into the courtyard, Sesshoumaru, still uninterested followed behind her. She continued to stare, horrified as the fire youkai picked up a flower, it looked to be jasmine but she could not be sure and he tucked it into her hair behind the ear. She thanked him for it and they began an argument over who was more beautiful, it was too sweet to be just friendly. "SHE'S FLIRTING WITH HIM!" She tried to shout in outrage but it came out as a squeak.

"Sesshoumaru we are losing Izayoi and you are standing there as if it does not mean a thing! Do you not care that our plan is falling apart right before our very eyes? Izayoi is falling in love with another guy and you are acting like you don't care. What if Touga sees and decided he does not want to be with her anymore? Look I'm hyperventilating here, could you at least pretend to be a little worried? What are we going to do?"

"You need to calm down," Sesshoumaru offered rather unhelpfully. "I'm not worried because there is nothing for me to be worried about. Izayoi may be falling for him now, but I assure you that Nowaki's feelings for Izayoi do not go beyond deep friendship. He is not capable of feeling love for Izayoi so don't you worry."

He put an arm around her shoulders and turned her away. "Well if he is not going fall in love with her then we should break them apart before Izayoi's hart gets broken. Wait; if Izayoi's heart does get broken perhaps she will seek comfort in Touga's arms, although that does seem a rather sadistic way of getting what we want. What if Izayoi seeks comfort in the arms of a different courtier instead? Oh this is so confusing and so terrible – it's such a mess! And hang on just a second mister, what do you mean you say he isn't capable of loving; everyone is capable of falling in love. You were the coldest person I'd ever laid my eyes one when we first met, and now I know firsthand that you are perfectly capable of loving, why should this Nowaki guy be any different?"

"He's homosexual," he said simply still leading her away. "Let Izayoi fall in love with him if she wants, it is best this way, it will keep her away from other courtiers who might want their relationship to escalate into more than friendship before we find a way to push her and my father closer together. While Nowaki could not possibly return the feelings Izayoi is so clearly portraying to him, it would make our challenge a lot more difficult if the woman's love for my father ceases completely. Perhaps another bout of presents in order Kagome, this time we should give each person the more extravagant presents."

"Good thinking, this time we will give the lilies and the clothes to Izayoi and the roses and the dagger to Touga. You do Izayoi's card because of the handwriting and I'll do Touga's, make sure the card is really pretty looking and the language as flowery as the plants we're giving her. We have to make it good this time; if this doesn't work we will have to start to execute some well organized trips over conveniently place stones into each other's arms. Trust me it is easy to say but a lot harder to make it happen, you have to get them in the right place and then neither of them must sense you coming up behind them – you just don't want the hassle."

They retired back to Sesshoumaru's bedroom and set to work on the cards and presents, discussing where to place these ones and when and how. Sesshoumaru being the artist he was finished much before Kagome did and she was peeved because of it. She took a lot longer to carry on with hers and refused to talk to him while she worked, focusing all of her attention on finishing the card. He offered to help her, but it was refused. Even when he went to get her a drink and some food, she ignored it, focusing on her task at hand.

Needles to say, Sesshoumaru was jealous of the concentration she was giving his father and step mother, it was really beginning to get to him. Why would she not pay that sort of unwavering attention to him? Sure they had grown closer during their little quest, and their little quest was for them to be together, but she was not acting like she even wanted him. She would not sleep in the same room as him, requiring distance between them instead of closeness like they should be. She did not like any sort of close proximity. She would not sit in his lap or even sit so close beside him that their legs were touching.

She was far too coy for her own good really. How was he meant to put his scent on her to ward off other males and signal to his father she was taken if she did not want him near enough? Sure he could smell him on her faintly seeming as they still sparred with one another and touched a little through no more than friendly gestures. Still, it was not nearly as strong as he's like it to be, and she would not understand should he attempt to explain to her what the problem was, for he knew that she sensed a change in him.

Even the mere thought of bathing together – _like most normal courting couples, _sent her into a another beating fit aimed at his face. She was 17 years old for crying out loud and he was the same age, he was ready, they both were, she just did not accept it. Women in the villages her age would already have a child or two by now, and here she was saying she was not ready yet. He forced himself to understand and respect her wishes, although her body was ready, her mentality could not handle such a commitment yet.

One thing he had learnt was that if a woman says she is not ready then she is not. You could not hurry along such feelings; you will only succeed of slowing their progression down even more. He wanted her and it was hard to wait, but it was not like he was asking her to lay with him, just bathe with him. It was normal for courting couples and mated couples to groom each other, it built trust and companionship. Hell she had already done a mild form of it with his father for crying out loud by brushing and braiding his hair and she had not even offered to do that to him, and it was not like he was going to ask her.

He still did not understand her coyness, especially about the bathing. It was a very important part about her lifestyle and a very key part about their relationship so she should just let it happen already, they may as well combine the two! She had never seen a naked man before, that was her excuse, but she had to eventually. Besides if they were ever going to get mated she would have to get used to seeing him as he was. It was incredibly difficult if not impossible to mate someone while still fully clothed after all.

After scenting the gifts and cards they were placed in the corresponding bedrooms and Kagome prayed that this time it would work. She was having her own troubles with the young man she had a crush on. He was acting strangely lately, even more so today; he looked more depressed, put out, angry, and she was not sure, but she had an idea of why that might be. Well, she was the ultimate matchmaker and she had a plan to deal with that too. Of course bearing in mind what she doing to the other two lovers she was sorting out it might not be the best plan in the world, but she wanted her Sesshoumaru back the way he was.

With a dejected sigh of how complicated her life always was and a few mumbles of how it wasn't fair Kagome went down to the nursery to spend some time with Inuyasha for the rest of the day until dinner. Izayoi was still chasing a gay guy in the courtyard and although the little warm body was asleep he was all alone, leaving her free to be as affectionate as she wanted. As soon as she picked up the little blighter he woke up wanting nourishment. He was off breast milk now and fed out of a bottle instead so she could feed him.

It felt nice to sit there holding the pup in her arms as she fed him, it made her smile as she looked down into his pretty golden eyes and wondered again how wonderful it is to be so young and free of troubles. Babies did not have any responsibility or worries, they did not have to even worry about wiping their own arse, they had willing mothers do it for them. This was not to say she wanted this done for her like Inuyasha did, but she was still making a point. Perhaps she wanted to b a baby other than a fish, much more attractive, and a lot cuter.

When Inuyasha fell asleep she put him in to his cot once more and decided upon doing something for Sesshoumaru to get him back to his normal self. She knew he liked her, he had even suggested they sleep and bathe together, but she was the conventional type of girl and was happy with the two of them taking baby steps in their relationship. Still, they liked each other and it would be nice for her to give him a little token of her affection. She had been planning to do it for a week or so now, it seemed this was the perfect time.


	29. To the one I love

**Another cute chapter where we learn about the feelings between our two favourite lovebirds. I've had some requests about Touga making a reappearance, hopefully jealous and do not worry, next chapter will be about a rather dark Touga, so sit tight. I've got to revise for now though and then I'm going out with my brother and best mate to see X men, so it won't be until tomorrow evening, or maybe the day after. Happy reading. Review and enjoy!**

**Chapter 29 – To the one I love**

Sesshoumaru wearily made his way to his chambers. As soon as he walked through the door he immediately knew something was wrong. A scent filled his nostrils, a scent he knew very well, sakura, his favourite flower. He followed the scent to the bed and smiled at what he found laying in the centre of it. He should have known better than to think that Kagome had forgotten about him, and an unfamiliar wave of guilt washed over him. His Kagome cared for him, and would never forget him for his father and step mother.

He sat gingerly on the end of the bed, the place Kagome usually sat. She spent practically no time in her own room now, perhaps to sleep, but not even always then. Sometimes she would prefer to sleep in the nursery with Inuyasha; she said it was in case he cried in the night so Izayoi did not have to awaken each time. Sesshoumaru knew better, it was something to do with being good friends with him in the future. She was used to him being nearby when she slept and felt safer when he was sleeping close to her.

This of course made no sense, she was after all a child and did need protection despite being a miko, but should not seek it from his baby brother. Inuyasha was but a newborn pup, while he could protect her were he several hundred years older; he needed protection more than Kagome. In fact, he sought protection and comfort for Kagome. The Western castle was one of the safest places in Japan, and Kagome was an honoured guest, she had nothing to be afraid of. Still, she was used to having a reason to be afraid at night.

She was used to someone having to watch over her and her friends while she slept close to a campfire to keep warm. She was used to being swarmed by dozens of lower class demons trying to kill her; she was used to needing protection. And Inuyasha was always the one who provided it, he understood that. But she must understand that she could not be his responsibility anymore, and did not need to be either, Sesshoumaru was centuries old and more than capable of looking after his Kagome. Furthermore, Kagome was his intended, if she would not groom with him she ought to at least let him protect her.

Inus were jealous, protective and possessive by nature, the Taiyoukai bordering on an obsessive nature with their chosen mates. They were all rather negative aspects too, but fidelity was something the other partner could be certain of. This was why Sesshoumaru did not approve of his father sniffing around his Kagome. It was not just because he wanted her for himself, but because his father was sacrificing his honour as an Inu youkai, a Taiyoukai at that. And this was why he helped Kagome with her plan to get him and Izayoi to fall back in love, it to save honour and be free to have Kagome more than love for his parents and wanting their happiness. Even though it hurt him and made him angry and jealous of attention that could be given to him.

This was why he was possessive of Kagome and wanted to look after her more than anything else. It was disturbing to him, and made him snarl in anger that she would seek _anything _from another male, even if that make happened to be pack, his father or his little brother. His feelings had indeed been escalating as of late into something a mated Inu would feel for his bitch. He should be the one to provide for her and protect her. He should be her sole priority and receive all of her adoration and obedience. And if she sought comfort during the night time hours she should seek it in his arms, not by the side of some cot holding a newborn pup.

But this showed him that she did care after all, and she did love him and want to be with him. He could smell her on the blossoms in his bed and on the sheet where she often sat. When she was not with Inuyasha and Izayoi, sleeping or in the dining hall, she was with him. It did not really matter where with him; he did not care as long as she was with him. She did not get to be with him until late morning, spending that time with his brother, Izayoi preferred to deal with him in the evenings, and he was just about ready to be content with just sitting nearby and gazing at her, drinking in her glorious scent by that time.

Sometimes that sparred in the dojo, most days actually, although she preferred never to do it on Sundays, resting her screaming muscles for that day. She was not a good warrior, even for a human, but she was a female after all. She was meant to be a mother; she lacked the ferociousness, too afraid to hurt him to come at him with the anger and hate needed for a true battle. This did not matter though for he was going to protect her from now on anyway. He managed to teach her a few basic things she needed to know and should be able to hold enemies back now. She was already capable of killing low level youkai.

Her only real power was hr miko powers; it proved to be capable both inside and outside of battle. She could purify even strong demons too with that sort of power, along with creating barriers and concealing her scent; even enhance her speed, though that was power draining. She used her power to heal injuries and illnesses; it allowed her to heal quickly like a hanyou can. This impressed him for she had obviously learnt this with minimum training if she spent all of her time travelling with a monk who did not even train her.

His respect waned slightly when it came to assessing her ability with weapons. She was inept with a sword so much so that it was beyond hopeless and just pitiful. When it came to a bow and arrow she was a lot better, her aim was good, if not perfect, and she was not afraid to use it. While she hesitated before hurting and definitely before killing generally, her feelings did not affect the accuracy of her shot. Not wanting her to hurt herself by letting her loose with a sword even without his input of training her, he chose to train her with a staff. She was happy with this seeming as her monk friend had one too.

When they were done in the dojo they would retire to his room for the rest of the day, and it was always his room. On Friday evenings of course they would be required to attend his father's study and Kagome had managed to change that experience too. They would actually send the time as a family now instead of watch his father work while they read like they used to do last time. After the whole fiasco with marking his father's work Kagome had decided something about the weekly system had to change.

Kagome would usually teach them a card game with a deck of cards she happened to bring to this era with her, and they would play that together. Sometimes she would teach them other games such as '21 dares', he hated that game. Sometimes they would tell each other stories – that is Kagome would tell them stories and then his father would tell her stories seeming as he and Izayoi had heard them all before.

If it was a clear night they would play star busting, or just star gazing, and the night sky looked different each time they did it, and every hour or so they would switch positions until the women fell asleep. Sesshoumaru preferred these nights more than the others, sometimes he would do it with her on nights other than Fridays too. The woman lay in between them, snuggled by mokomokos, Kagome next to him, Izayoi next to his father, one Inu on either end of the small line. Izayoi and Kagome had settled into the habit of just watching the competitive males turn the innocent game into some sort of contest – one that Sesshoumaru always won.

Sesshoumaru picked up the sakura and sniffed them before shifting the blossoms onto a nearby table. The whole room was now filled with the scent of them, mixed with the scent of her scent of apples, honey and fresh air. He knew he was going to sleep easy tonight, wrapped in those pleasant scents with his favourite flower by his bedside. Next to where the flowers had been was a card, a card from his Kagome. He slid into the covers and opened it up, eager to read what his intended had left for him to.

_**Sesshoumaru,**_

_Lately I have realized that you have seemed depressed and angry, maybe even jealous about what we are doing for you father and Izayoi. I do not know whether this is because I am not focusing my attention all of you anymore or whether you think I do not like you as much or care about you as much anymore. This is a letter to tell you to stop these feelings for I assure you that this is not the case, I promise._

_I do love you Sesshoumaru; I loved you when you first confessed your feelings to me in the garden that night. I still love you now and I promise that not a moment goes by when you are not in my mind, in a good way or a bad way. Do remember though that there other people in my love as there are other people in yours, I need to be with Inuyasha sometimes as well as Izayoi who I am fearing id beginning to dislike me greatly._

_I believe this conquest to get you father and Izayoi back together has drawn us closer if anything. Think about the time we have spent together as a bonding of sorts and the trips to the market place as courtship, for it would be in human terms, we have very minor courtship rules. Do not forget the whole reason we are doing this after all. Remember, although I do really wish for your father and Izayoi to be happy, as I am sure you want too, we are doing this so that we can be together as mates without an unwanted third party._

_So I am writing the letter to you to tell you that I love you and not to drift away from me anymore because it is like you are not even my Sesshoumaru anymore when you do that so stick by me and don't be depressed or angry or jealous anymore, there is no need. Just so you know I will not be bathing with you any time soon or sleeping with you, but remember this as part of my human modesty, something you need to respect for it cannot be controlled by anything, bear with me on that front, the time will come._

_Don't worry though, we are both young and can afford to take baby steps. I promise that I will not fall for another as long as you can promise me you will do the same. Once we are mated we will have centuries to spend with one another after all. In offering of our 'not-drifting-apart-anymore', I offer you this present of sakura blossoms and 'make-up-as-friends-again' card. I will see you tomorrow at breakfast and in the early afternoon for our daily training session. And just so you know, these presents are definitely from me!_

_All my love Kagome._

Sesshoumaru fell asleep clutching the letter to his chest, sakura blossoms caught in his silver tresses. And as he drifted off into the land of the sleeping he thought about all the ways that he could make things up to her. Not drifting about anymore would be a good thing to start with, and try to be less jealous around other people with her. It would be a good idea to be more enthusiastic about the plan like she asked. And to stop pressuring her into bathing or sleeping with him, it was _definitely _not going to happen any time soon.

For now though he would focus not being closer to her. He was pleased about this because she had always made it seem as though as she wanted him to back off and give her more space. Perhaps he would investigate where he could get a carnation too...


	30. To take for a fool

**I did not know whether to call this one 'Intimidation' or 'to take for a fool', but I went for option 2. I like this chapter and Touga becomes a loveable little doggy again. Drawing to a close now, but I will start working on my other Sess/Kags afterwards and post them up here. They are not written yet but I knew the plot. I am going to call them 'pure of heart' (I have done the first 3 chapters of this and they are on Dokuga) and 'Age of the youkai' which is still in its 'ideas on the back of an envelope' stage. Enjoy and review.**

**Chapter 30 – To take for a fool...**

Kagome happily bounced Inuyasha up and down on her knee, making him laugh and gurgle happily with each jerk. This was surprising to Kagome because she remembered her own mother doing this to her when she was four years old, it was one of her earliest memories. She had not enjoyed the jerky movements and had not laughed at the antics, making her mother do it more in the thought that she just was not satisfied yet. She had just had dinner and it made her feel sick, but still, every baby was different and Inuyasha was a half demon after all and had a solid stomach, he ate practically raw meat every day after all.

Sesshoumaru had disappeared off to the market place with Izayoi for a reason he did not tell her. She only knew he was gone because Touga had come to tell her and he was not in the Dojo although she had seen him at breakfast. She was hurt he did not want her to come along but she guessed it was for urgent reasons. She felt no guilt for being hurt though, after she had left him a letter to ask him to trust her more and get closer to her. Still there was not better remedy for that than playing with an adorable baby.

It was just as she put him to bed that she felt him arrive. Inutaisho had a massive youkai aura and he was not afraid to use it. She felt him bearing down on her when he was still one hundred metres away, and it was oppressing, it was just plain painful when he was right in front of her a couple of seconds later. He usually concealed his aura, for her comfort if nothing else, but now he it was as if he was flaunting it just so it would hurt her.

"Touga sama, nice to see you," she said, hart beating erratically and wishing her heart would just slow down, but she was feeling confusion as well as fear, why was he flaunting his youki like that? He has never done it before; he knew it hurt her so kept it contained. It was not too much, a simple aura was not that powerful, but he must be angry at her for some reason, and she wanted to know why while at the same time fearing the answer.

His eyes narrowed and he tapped the side of his nose. "Remember that lies are bitter, do not lie to me for I can tell," he said slowly, menacingly. What had she done to elicit such rage from him, for he was more than angry with her, he was frightening, dangerous even. He was a dangerous Taiyoukai whose power outmatched her so much so she would not be able to do so much as scratch him on her best day when he was ill and injured. Reality hit hard, she was no fool, she was well aware than he was threatening her on purpose.

"Touga, are you angry with me?" She asked, even though it was blindingly obvious that he was by his flashing eyes and elongated claws, he was furious, so much so he looked deadly, ready to kill her. She guessed she deserved the rat her mocking reply of "how did you guess?" That she was given by the Inutaisho in response. Kagome instantly went into survival mode and she became completely absorbed with her now number one priority: find out was wrong and get out of the predicament alive and preferably unharmed.

"I'm sorry if I'm displeased you some way," she answered guardedly. She could not lose her temper now, as much as she was already tempted to, she had to try and keep calm, and keep him calm. Well, it may already be a little late for that, but if she could calm him a little more, he may be more reasonable, she did not want to deal with a deadly dangerous Taiyoukai who was even more pissed at her than he already seemed to be. Still, something told her that the confrontation with him was practically upon her and she cursed Sesshoumaru for being away, he had promised her that if it came to that, they'd stand through it together.

Quicker than the eye could follow, something sharp and silver shot from the Inutaisho's hand and flew past her head. Kagome gave and sharp intake of breath and clenched her eyes shut, when she opened them once more she saw a silver dagger embedded up to the hilt in the wall not a centimetre from her face. Kagome let out the breath she had been holding but could not stop shaking from that point onwards.

It was then she got a good look at the dagger that was buried in the wall right by her, it was the one she gave him. It made her glad that he was carrying it around with him; it meant that he liked the present; otherwise he wouldn't keep it with him. He was less that a pace away from her now; she could feel his hot breath on her neck, it sent shivers up her spine. She did not like him so close, it was frightening, and there was no Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha to come dashing to her rescue, one was away in the market place with Izayoi, and the other brother was a couple of centuries too young to be of any help to her.

"You missed on purpose right?" Was the first thing she could think to say, she would feel a lot better once she knew he only meant to scare and threaten her and was not out to really hurt, or even worse, kill her. He glared at her in response, "give me more credit than that miko, my aim is the best in Japan, and I am still indebted to you." That was when Kagome knew she was really in danger, he never called her 'miko' he always had the respect to use her name, but at least she knew he was not going to kill her now.

"What is this about Inu no Taisho?" her voice was steady now, but the confident face she kept on was going to slip any moment. She knew he sensed it because he answered with, "I can smell that you are feeling fear... good, you should fear me?" He wanted her to be scared of him, because he wanted her to know that she should not take him for a fool, but like an idiot she had to ask that wretched question anyway, "why?"

He pulled the dagger out of the wall and held it up to her face. "Beautiful yes?" He told more than asked her, so she could make no other answer than to agree. "It suits you," she said, trying to put a smile onto her face, "a lot actually, it is dangerous and deadly, but also very attractive, it is new? I've never seen you carry it before?"

"It is new, it was a present."

"Who gave it to you?"

He fixed her with a steely glare, "you did."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat, "no, no, no, you've got the wrong person; I mean I have no reason to give you a present." That was not strictly speaking the lie, but he had gotten it right, she was the one who gave it to him. The question now was, how the hell did he know? They had been so careful and still he had figured it out? How?

"I have got the right person; I know I have, though I commend you for making the present smell like Izayoi to convince me. But one thing you have forgotten is that I am not a fool and cannot be convinced of that which is not true." He leaned closer to her, hands either side of her head blocking the escape routes. "Izayoi has not left the castle since coming here; she has not had the chance to go and get me anything, nor does she want to."

"Well Sesshoumaru and I got it for her for you."

"The card gave you away. Cards do not exist in this time, the first time I saw something like that is when you gave me one on this 'father's day' of yours. Izayoi knows nothing about the presents you gave me, I would have smelt it on her with my subtle questions otherwise. The whole thing was your idea, so I am rather confused."

She cocked her head in question.

"You gave me presents last time and I said I would accept the position you are asking to fill but you declined. Now you are asking me again, not only by giving me presents and cards but addressing yourself as my mate. All you had to do was say I accept, or ask and I would have gladly taken you as my own, but constantly you shy away."

"You do not understand it is not like that" Kagome shouted frantically, wondering just how wrong an idea someone could get of a rather innocent gesture.

"Well then do please enlighten me as to what the correct idea about the situation is. Now you are going to tell me everything from the top. Leave nothing out and do not lie to me or I will detect it and am likely to become furious with you."

"It is rather a long story."

"Speak quickly."

She was hoping he would let her sit down or something, but speak quickly was fair enough giving she and Sesshoumaru had tried to play an arrogant egotistical demon Lord for a fool, he had permission to be super pissed at her.

"Well Sesshoumaru and I kind of want to be together in the way that you and Izayoi are meant to be; only we actually love each other. I remembered the way you loved Izayoi and I wanted to get you to love her again. Sesshoumaru was afraid that if he staked claim on me then you would challenge his claim and he cannot beat you in battle yet. But if you wanted Izayoi then you would not want me, so we decided to find a way to get you to love her like the way you did when we first met and you howled when she died.

My first idea was to get you to know that I like you, but not in the same way you seem to like me. Thus, the giving you things on father's day plan was born. We both know that this did not work and you got the wrong idea. I won't linger on that, so I tried to go for a different approach and get you and Izayoi to believe that you were head over heels for each other. So we went out and brought presents and made cards. The idea was for Izayoi to think that the presents I gave her were from you, and you to think that the presents that I gave you were from her. However this was not to be it turned out and you got the wrong idea again."

A smirk pulled at his lips in amusement, but disapproval. "My son was correct in thinking, I will challenge his claim. I will guess that it was his idea to cover your scent in Izayoi's too. He is clever, but not clever enough, or powerful enough."

"Please Touga sama, I know you still love Izayoi, you just do not realize it. You are only interested in me because I am different, you do not even know anything about me. But you know lots about Izayoi I bet; you just don't know how to express it. I will prove to you that you still love her, if you will just answer some questions?"

He nodded.

"O.K, what's her favourite flower?"

He looked confused, "why do you want me to answer that?"

"Just do it."

"Fine, she liked lilies, they reflect her pure character. They were the first courting gift I gave her actually, and from that point onwards she never looked at another blossom. She liked them before, but I made it her favourite flower really."

"What is her favourite food?"

"She likes fruit more than anything else. When she met me she tried to like meat more, but she could never like anything else more."

"What does she like to wear most?"

"She likes male clothes; she had always been a bit of a tomboy. She was forced to become a lady and tries to act like one here, but she is still childish in her mind. She still likes to run around and climb trees and go for hikes, but she does so in kimonos now. I thought she wanted to change to become a proper and respectable Lady of the West, but she would still rather wear hakamas and haoris instead of even the posh kimonos now here."

"Now could you answer any questions about me?"

He was silent for a moment. The he broke down with a cry of "Gomen, gomen, IZAYOI!"


	31. Plan C

**Ooh, he had a mental breakdown and blew it... again. Well here we see Kagome undeterred, she never gives up. It seems she may be able to do it this time, and Sesshoumaru is wrapped around her little finger doing everything she asks of him – up to an extent. Can you really blame him; he never had anyone before Kagome. Well, the story is almost finished; I might even finish this one before the 'Lord of the West'. Don't cry though, there are a few of chapters left and about 10 stories waiting to be written. 2 Sess/Kag stories called 'Pure of Heart' and 'Age of the Youkai' and a family/friendship thing Sess/Souta called 'What might happen in the... past or something like that. Age of the youkai and my Sess/Souta is still in its notes on the back on an old envelope stag at the moment, but the first three chapters of pure of heart are written and posted on Dokuga if you want a sneak peak preview before I post the story here. Well, without further ado, here is chapter 31, enjoy and review!**

**Chapter 31 – Plan C**

Inutaisho fell onto Kagome, burying his face into her neck as he started to cry, knife still in his hand. Kagome was glad she had been backed into a wall before hand or she would have been crushed underneath him. It always used to cheer her up to see an Inu see the error of his ways, but this was not Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru, it was their dad – that was something different. She had seen him cry once before, it was when he lost her, and he was crying again now, because despite his love, he had pushed her away from him.

"Touga, it is O.K," not even aware she had dropped the honorific. "Pull yourself together, it is not the end of the world, we can still fix this, so don't worry. You just need to tell her how you feel, apologise for hurting her feelings and tell her that she means the most to you. In fact you should not need me to tell you what to do; if you truly love each other then you will know what to do. True love is fickle thing, so don't cry, there is no need to worry, I promise the answer will come to you; it always does in matters such as there. Sesshoumaru and I will be happy to help too, we can't tell you our plan, but try not to get the wrong idea."

He nodded against her neck but made no sound. His shoulder shook a little, and Kagome's used his broken composure to take the knife away and sheath it so it no longer proved a danger to anyone. "Come on Touga, let's sit you down, you need a moment to pull yourself together." She lowered his rather limp form to the ground and sat down with him, his head resting in her lap. He seemed to be exhausted after his outburst. "Gomen for frightening you, Kagome," he muttered, "please forgive me, for everything I did, it was... improper."

She stroked his silver hair, "it's alright, you're alright," she assured him, "everything is fine now. Do I take it Sesshoumaru and I have your blessings and permission now?" Things seemed to be looking up for them all now, her Sesshoumaru, Touga and Izayoi. Soon things were the way they should be and everyone would have what they wanted. She could not keep the kind smile off her face; it was just a matter of time now.

"Do not jump to conclusions," he said, straightening, seeming to be more composed now. "I still do not give you my blessings or my permission, not yet. My mate is gallivanting around with a fire demon and I do not blame her for finding love with someone else after I have treated the way she has. If she feels more strongly for this man then she may mate with him, he seems to hold a great deal of affection for her after all too."

"Touga, you do realize that Nowaki is homosexual right? And what is that about you _still refusing to leave me alone? _So what, I am a rebound to you?"

"No, but my heir cannot mate when the Western Lord is not mated himself, pack politics you know. It just so happens that I may be planning to court you myself Kagome, should your plan fail. I am not going to deny Izayoi anything anymore. Sesshoumaru is returning, you should go to his room like you do every day or he may suspect something. Thank you once again, and I am sorry, but you are a human and should know no one has complete control over their feeling and their heart, not even demons, not Sesshoumaru, and not even me."

"Umm, O.K, I guess I will watch out then, I will make sure that my plan succeeds. Good luck Inutaisho, see you tomorrow." She walked away and headed to Sesshoumaru's room to meet him there as his father had suggested. It was true, she did spend every waking moment with him in his chambers and that was not going to change now. Already bored waiting for the dog prince, she started to cook up another plan.

She guessed it was time to initiate plan C, and Kagome was a bit worried about that. In movies they never had to have a plan C, plan B always worked if A failed. Although, that being said, they also said 'third time lucky' or 'third time's the charm' and things like that, so she was only warranted to despair if this did not work. Of course, she should probably be despairing right now, because in movies they never had to justify when it was the right time to give up hope, here she was making excuses. Of course, one thing she was disregarding was that this was not an adventure movie which counted for something.

Obviously she was not as skilled as those guys, but she had expected some sort of triumph. It was the least prize she could receive after going through the confrontation all by herself. Honestly, he had some sort of problem, quite possibly medical; no one can be that dense and heartless. You cannot just admit the error of your ways and then refuse to give up your new interest; sparks were only flying in one direction anyway. That was just wrong, and she had just warmed up to Touga as well, he was losing all favour with her fast. Well this plan could definitely not go wrong, that was a plus at least, (though she'd said that for the others too).

Sesshoumaru arrived about an hour later and the only thing he was holding was a bunch of... carnations. "Sesshoumaru," she whispered, taking the flowers from his outstretched hand and grinning and she set them down on a nearby table. He went to the market to get her a present – that was so cute. Of course he was looking emotionless at the moment, but perhaps under that pale skin, there were the slightest hints of a blush.

Throwing all thoughts out the window she threw her arms around his neck in an affectionate hug. Yep, that made the whispers of a blush on his face rather more pronounced and he wrapped his arms around her in response. "Thank you for these Sesshoumaru, you have no idea how much this gift just cheered me up." Knowing there was one person out there who truly wanted nothing other than her happiness and affections was comforting and heart warming. Sesshoumaru liked her and wanted her, just for her.

"You were hurt before I came?" He asked, picking up on her words and concern flooded his voice, all of it was for her, it was nice to feel. Kagome had no idea how to answer that; she wanted to burst into tears and tell him everything, but knew to keep this a secret. She did not need to start a feud between father and son, especially seeming as she had only just prevented the feud between brothers that had been looming in her future.

"How was your morning?" He asked her, stroking her hair as they sat on the bed, Kagome climbing into _her _spot. Now that was a question she could answer, "relatively uneventful," it wasn't even a complete lie. Gathering her courage she placed a chaste kiss on his lips and smiled once more, "come on, let's spar," and she dragged him from the room. She had some pent up negative emotions to vent and there was better way to do that than sparring. Besides, she was well overdue to spend quality time with her Sesshoumaru anyway.

The next day, she decided to initiate her plan C. It was not long, it would only take a couple of seconds, she did not even need Sesshoumaru's assistance, but she did need the help of one certain homosexual fire youkai. "Nowaki san! Nowaki san!" Kagome cried, running across the grounds to catch up to a said fire youkai. He allowed her to reach him and catch her breath. They had never spoken before, but the kind youkai let her catch her breath and nodded her head in respectful greeting. "Oh Nowaki san, I really need your help."

Kagome was certain that her plan was going to be flawless this time, no way was this one backfiring. Nowaki had said he would make sure Inutaisho and Izayoi were in the courtyard together and then Inutaisho would be forced to apologise and make up to her. He had been trying to do it for some time now, but he kept backing out of his plan and going back to his study or chambers with his tail between his legs. It was cowardly and Kagome was not standing for it. All he needed was a bit of encouragement; a gentle shove in the right direction, and the romantic setting she prepared would topple them both over the edge.

Sure enough, at noon on the dot, both 'lovers' appeared on the scene. Inuyasha had been put down for his midday nap seeming as he had not slept well during the night due to teething problems. Kagome thought that normal teething problems were a pain, for both the child and the parent involved, she remembered the problems experienced with Souta well, but that was nothing compared to youkai pups having their fangs come through. It was a bonus Inuyasha was asleep that meant there would be no distractions except the ones she had planned, as sweet as he was, this concerned just Izayoi and Touga.

Nowaki came wandering into the courtyard with Izayoi by his side, talking in a carefree way. However, the fire youkai kept his eyes open for Kagome and when she court his eyes he nodded ever so slightly. Kagome waved in exaggerated enthusiasm and a very loud cry of "IZAYOI!" As she ran over, 'just to say hi'. Using the direction, Nowaki used this time to slip away and into the shadows hiding so the girls were alone. It was up to her to keep her here until Sesshoumaru managed to drag his father's sorry ass onto the palace grounds, and he would drag the dog by the pointy ears if it came to that.

As if on cue, Touga came into the courtyard too, rubbing said ears, Sesshoumaru stood behind him, pushing him by the shoulders. He looked uncomfortable but Kagome held no sympathy for the dog, he brought all this on himself and he should be thankful she and his son were 'helping' him out. True they were doing so for selfish reasons, but they did not want him to be unhappy, they just happened to be getting him back with his mate so they could be together themselves. They were not being at all gentle or kind about it either.

Touga caught her eyes and Kagome held the amber swirls not daring to look away. "Make it up to her!" She mouthed to him over Izayoi's shoulder in the most demanding way she could and shot him her stoniest glare. She was not very good at being authorative when she did not even make a sound, but she did her best all the same. That done she melted away much the same way Nowaki had done, Sesshoumaru doing the same, leaving the two of them alone.

Touga, knowing there was no way he could back out of this one, strode forward slowly. It was clear to all who saw that he wanted nothing more than to turn and run in the other direction. But no one was going to come and save him, he was in this alone, and he could not order another to do this for him, there was no enemy to kill, this was between him and his mate. But he loved her, he had proven that, Kagome had forced him into it, he had not even realized it himself, he still did, he just had to remember that and show her.

He reached her and placed his hands on her upper arms to keep him there rather than to secure her. He forced himself to look into her eyes and not at his feet, as interesting as the ground turned out to be when he did not want to look anywhere else. "Izayoi," he started in a quiet voice, he stopped and took a deep breath and started again. "Izayoi," he said again in an audible voice this time that was not spat out too quickly. "We – we need to talk."


	32. Useless squabbling

**Hehe, funny chapter I thought. Almost over now like Lord of the West is. Soon COMING SOON TO A FANFICTION SITE NEAR YOU – 'Pure of Heart,' 'Age of the Youkai,' and 'what might happen in the past,' not for some time yet though. Well enjoy and REVIEW!**

**Chapter 32 – Useless squabbling**

"Izayoi I need to apologise for all I've done." Izayoi just stared at him, stony expression on her face, "yes," she agreed, "you do." Kagome and Sesshoumaru flinched at her face and tone, she did not seem to be in a very forgiving mood and that did not bode well for them. Of course they could not blame her for this, none of this was her fault but Inutaisho's, and he was the only villain here. Still, she was meant to be hopelessly devoted to him and lap up his grovelling gratefully, no w was not the time to woo, it should not be needed and was hopeless at this stage. Could things have moved too far, was it hopeless?

Touga nodded his head, "I'm sorry for everything that I said and did. I'm sorry for not paying attention to you when you deserve the devotion from the Kamis themselves. I am sorry for my pursuing another like a lust driven pup; you are the one I love. I am sorry for lying to you when I said I feel only for you, I realize that betrayal has hurt you more. I am so sorry for forgetting it was you that I not only loved and desired, but my soul long for and needed. I promise to never leave you again, I promise to serve you as my mate for the rest of our considerably long lives. I am sorry for everything Izayoi, will you please forgive me?"

"A heartfelt apology," Izayoi agreed with a thoughtful nod of her head, "but I am not convinced. How do I know you will keep true to this promise, you didn't to the last one when you said your soul was mine. You took me heart that was freely given and crushed it, are you planning to do the same with my soul now? I still love you, I could not stop if I wanted to, but I find myself unable to trust you, even a little, not anymore."

Touga cast a helpless glance in their direction, seeing them in the shadows with his superior Taiyoukai vision while Izayoi thought they were alone in the courtyard. Kagome locked eyes with him and got down to her knees, making sure to make no noise crushing the undergrowth so Izayoi remained oblivious to their presence and acted like herself. "Grovel," she mouthed at him, making bowing motions from her knees, nose touching the ground.

Touga wasted no time in falling to his knees before his mate. For a demon Lord to show this ultimate form of humiliation should show her that he really meant it, he loved her, he was sorry and he was going to spend the rest of their lives tending to her and only her. She was shocked by his move, but seemingly unmoved by his show, while it meant a lot to him; it seemed to do little to her. What she needed, Kagome realized, was proof. But therein lay a big problem, how exactly do you prove fidelity and promises to someone in so short a time?

She turned away from him, wanting to storm away. Touga was heart set on not letting her go but Kagome knew that if she did, the quest to get them together would be lost and she would not be able to mate Sesshoumaru at least until they got to plan Z, and nobody in no move had to go to try 26, so that was not going to work. She needed something to show they were bonded, something to make Izayoi stay.

"Sesshoumaru," she mouthed to the young demon standing by her side, clutching her shaking hand in a comforting way as she watched the scene fall apart before her. "I need you to go and get me Inuyasha now." He did not question her; he knew when she was serious, when to challenge her and when to just do what she said. This was her plan, and it was failing, and she needed to add more components and supports so it kept up. Touga was not the only reason she needed to stay here. If love did not come into play now, they could work in it, but Izayoi could not move out, not now, they would all fall apart then.

"Izayoi," he growled lowly in a steely tone, a little irritation showing through in Touga's voice now, but the pain, longing and desperation was there too. Kagome upon hearing that was reminded of the pain Touga felt when he lost her the first time, to death that time and not his own stupidity. She had never heard anyone express such anguish and it tore at her to hear it, she had felt so lost and broken just hearing that mournful howl. He wanted to die too because he could not bear a lifetime without his beloved mate.

Izayoi too had born him Inuyasha and tended to him night and day with such love. What is more, Kagome had seen the way she looked at Touga and it made her sigh with her romantic view of love. Never before had she seen such love and devotion in someone's eyes. They were so wide and innocent and trusting, as if she was certain he would protect her from all wrongs in the world. He did so too, he tried, he tried and he would die for her, because he loved her, he knew her inside out and never want to be parted from her. She wants the same, to never leave him, Kagome could practically taste it. They were desperately in love; they just had to remember that.

She remembered when Touga had prepared to go and kill a menace in his lands. He was gone for a few days and when he came back he thought she and Sesshoumaru had had sex and had gotten angry. He was not gone for long and the battle was not dangerous, but they had thought it would be, rumours had been greatly exaggerated, and what people though t was the truth about the danger of the situation had been downplayed in the castle. Not even Sesshoumaru knew of the danger his father thought he was to be in.

It had been kept in the dark, but a few knew that there was a very real possibility that Inutaisho would not make it back alive. Kagome was not meant to know about the danger but she had heard the two of them talking behind closed doors. Izayoi was in tears and Touga was trying to comfort her while not telling her any lies about the danger.

"There are only a few people I really love in this world Izayoi. Only a few people have captured this cold heart of mine. Those people make me strong though and that is why I know I can do this, I know I can kill them. That is why I have to do this; it's only ever been the few of us. I do not even care about my lands, they would mean nothing if the ones I loved were not a part of my life. I am doing this to protect you, because I must, and because I love you. For my sons Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, I would rush into the fiery pits of hell, swords flashing, and with no second thought about possible consequences." He took the woman's face between his hands. "And for you, I swear I will come back out and I'll land in the safety and comfort of your arms very much alive."

She had made her escape before he kissed her lips to the bone.

Suddenly she became aware that Izayoi and Touga were... arguing. Insults were being thrown one way and the other, not even Sesshoumaru with Inuyasha in his arms was going to pacify this situation. They seemed to be out to really hurt one another.

"Look I tried to be nice," Touga shouted, "I am sorry alright, how many more times and ways do I have to say it!"

"And I'm saying I do not believe you! How can I just accept your word for it when I did last time and you started to chase another girl as soon as our son was born?"

"Well you wasted no time getting a new interest of your own!"

"I was trying to get you to notice me!"

"I am noticing you now! I got down on my knees for you, I need you, I am admitting it and confessing to you, I need you!"

"There was a time I believed that!"

"Believe it now. There has never been a time when I have been more severe. I need you to listen to me and give me another chance."

"You have had too many chances already!" Izayoi countered with more venom in her voice than he could muster in his claws. "Every evening you had a chance to come to me, but no, you decided to spend it with your new hobby!"

"We had something special, you are telling me you want to throw it away?"

"I am throwing it back in your face!"

No! NO! NO! NO! NO! Kagome felt tears start to trickle down her face. Inuyasha was crying but no one was hearing him, though Sesshoumaru hugged him tighter to his body to calm him down, it did nothing to help him or calm him though. It was not working, she needed to do something right now or the mate-ship or whatever it is that Youkai's called their bond other than a marriage as it was for human, was definitely terminated for good.

"I grow tired of you constant squabbling over that which you already have but do not seek to see," Kagome grumbled, stalking towards them angrily, furious at their inability to love each other like they should do, like they once did. It seemed she was going to have to take matters into her own hands once more. She had an idea as what to do now, she could only pray to the Kamis that it worked, but deep down she knew it would. Touga was not surprised she was there seeming as he already knew, but Izayoi was mortified at the thought that someone had been watching them, although she could now hear Inuyasha crying. Kagome did not give her the time to express her thoughts about being spied on.

"Have you forgotten the way you wailed when you thought Izayoi had died that night so many moons ago now?" Kagome demanded more than asked as she turned to and pointed an accusing finger at Touga. "When you promise your heart to someone you cannot break it, you must follow it through to the end, this arguing is pointless, I command that it is stopped now. Have you forgotten the burning desire you once held for each other?"

They both stared at her, but did not say anything to her, or to each other. Kagome did not care, she had a mission to carry out and no one was going to ruin it. She felt Sesshoumaru with Inuyasha come up behind her and place a hand on her shoulder. She did not know whether he meant it to say 'let things be' or 'shut up' or 'go Kagome'. He said nothing to accompany the action so she was never to know but she did not care anyway. Nowaki too came to stand beside her and placed his hand on her other shoulder in a sign of comradeship.

Touga and Izayoi looked back at each other now, but were still not comfortable with it. They looked like they were going to start spitting insults at each other again any minute. Kagome was not going to let that happen, she had to make them love each other. "I shall put an end to your useless words and arguments now and make you realize just how desperately you love and need each other." With those few words she pushed the two heads together so their mouths collided in the kiss they both had been waiting to share. 


	33. To let go

**Wanted to draw the end of this scene but couldn't to save my life! Well, enjoy this one and although it is a little sad, just you wait for the next chap! I will make it up to you. Internet stopped working for ages, so sorry for the late updates. I had to go onto my parent's computer just to check my e-mails. And by the way, The Lord of the West is finished, there is a big 'The End' written at the end of it, and it is marked as complete, so stop asking me for the next chapter please. Well, review and enjoy. Almost over now, enjoy 'Pure of heart' I have started to post it up now, though the chapters are long so if the internet comes back the updates will still be very slow, sorry about that. **

**Chapter 33 – To let go**

Kagome had never been held prisoner before, she had been confined before now, but she had never been held prisoner before. She guessed though, that this is what it must be like, sitting there, bored, with nothing to do and unable to go anywhere without an escort. She was pretty sure she should be feeling a lot angrier than this, and should be screaming at her guard dog, Sesshoumaru until his pretty pointy ears fell off, but she couldn't find it in herself to do so. The truth was, while she hated being imprisoned, she did not want to be released.

It happened while she was going to down to dinner with the rest of the Inu family. Touga and Izayoi now met eye to eye now and loved each other and Sesshoumaru was free to pursue things with her. While she still did not let him do practically everything he wanted to with her, she let him grab her hand, or randomly pull her into an embrace. He did not kiss her without her permission first, he always gave her ample warning by leaning down slowly, or having 'that look' in his eyes if it was not a verbalized one.

He respected her coyness and maidenhood which she greatly appreciated, not all boys would be so understanding, and would instead want to push the relationship further. Sesshoumaru was an expert and waiting and biding his time, not only was he the killing perfection and knew how to wait for the perfect moment to pounce; it was just because he was a Taiyoukai in general. He would live for centuries, and after they mated hopefully so would she, they could afford to take things slowly and not worry about their youth ending.

It was like a pulse running through her, like the feeling she got when there was a jewel shard nearby, it was not unpleasant, but it demanded her attention, and she immediately knew what it was. She was being summoned, it was time for her to go back to the feudal era and finish her task. Whatever it was she was meant to do here, she had done it and overstayed her welcome and was being called back through the rifts of time. There was no well to go through though and in order for this pang to stop she would have to try and go back to the exact place she fell, the felling in her gut though she was sure would guide her.

She was sad about having to leave this era; she had grown to truly think of it as home. Yet she knew she could not stay, for she did not belong here, she belonged in a different time period. They Inu family knew something was wrong for she was silent during the meal and was uninterested in the meal, pushing it around her plate instead of eating. It was a nice meal, but with the butterflies in her stomach creating by nervousness, her appetite just fled.

She heard Izayoi whispering to her mate to pass it off as a mood swing. Teenage girls often had them, she had them sometimes, and they were both young. Touga readily agreed and did not question her on the topic, it was not that they did not care, for they did, but they did not want to believe something was incredibly wrong with her. Kagome was inclined to believe that too, but it was not the case, the truth was, she was nervous about breaking the news, to all of them, but especially Sesshoumaru, he would not take it at all well.

Sesshoumaru did not believe the rather weak 'mood swing' excuse for a moment. Kagome could tell from the look in his eyes that he was going to confront her later. He was shooting her that look, 'just wait 'till after dinner'. It was an almost threatening look, but then again it may as well be, he might turn nasty after she told him she needed to go back. She did not blame him, she was not too fond of the idea either, she had enjoyed her time with the younger Sesshoumaru who liked her and did not want to go back to Mr Icicle.

But maybe, just maybe, it would be different went she went back different, well it definitely would be. His father was still alive as was his step mother and he liked and respected her now which he did not before. What was more he had a brotherly relationship with his baby brother, a loving family relationship that he should have with him. Seeming as he and Inuyasha got along now they would not feud in the future, and Sesshoumaru would never become Lord of the West. Well he would eventually of course, but not in the feudal era.

Maybe other things will be changed too, Inuyasha might never meet Kikyou, which means she would never have those adventures with him and Sango and Miroku and little Shippou. Sesshoumaru will never get injured by the wind scar, flee and be found by Rin. What about the other people she met along the way, Keade, Kouga, Totosai, Myouga and the rest? Was she destined to find them, for Naraku, he would still be born right? Could she really ask a teenage Sesshoumaru to when the time was right, kill a bandit by the name of Onigumo?

After dinner, like she expected, Sesshoumaru confronted her and demanded to know what was wrong. Now he, along with his father, also being a Taiyoukai as well as a dog, had the uncanny ability to smell things that had no scent, such as whether or not she was lying or hiding information. He could also smell fear and other such emotions, so she was left with no choice. Not knowing what else to do, she told him the truth. Well 'told' was maybe not the right word, more like she choked out the occasionally word as she cried it out.

No amount of distress at the situation though was going to placate him, in his eyes she was guilty of wanting to leave him and he decided that he was not going to stand for it. His method of dealing with this was to throw a rather childish tantrum; well he was only a teenager, a kid really. He did not shout and scream, that was not the Sesshoumaru way, but he did do a number of other stupendous things that more than made up for the lack of volume. He crossed his arms and proclaimed that she belonged to him as his woman in a very Kouga like fashion. He then said that because of this, she was 'his' and therefore could not leave without his permission.

The only part about the proclamation she was angry about was the needing his permission to do something part. She _was _his woman and if not belonged to him, then was highly influenced by him, something not there with Kouga. She was her own person, and if she wanted to do something, she would do it. She was just as capable of ruling her life as a man, it just so happened that her reproductive organs were inside her body instead of out.

"Sesshoumaru, please, I do not want to leave, I really don't, but I have to. The future is calling me back and I have to answer." She had been finding different ways to say the same thing for the past hour now, and he was not heeding her. She had tried a number of different methods and none of them so far had worked. She had tried scolding, cajoling, screaming and even downright begging for him to take her to the place where she first fell but she failed to provoke any sort of reaction from him. He just sat there across the room from her, staring through her like she was not even there; he was like a statue with a fluffy boa.

"Sesshoumaru, please answer me, do not be mad. Try to understand that I like it here and I really do love you and am honoured to be pack, but I have to go. I am not abandoning you, or anyone, it is not really goodbye after all anyway. I am going to the future, not going altogether, I will disappear for 200 years or so, but I shall come back. It will only be minutes for me as well, so you see I am not leaving you for any time at all."

"Your words shall have no effect on me, no matter how many you spout, Kagome. You are mine and I have decided you shall stay, and so stay you shall until I decide otherwise. Nobody abandons their mate or mate to be, and as a Taiyoukai I refuse to let mine break the tradition. You shall be staying in here with me where I can keep an eye on you until I am sure you are not going to run off. Though I smell no lies on you, if you truly mean what you say and want to stay here then you would not be pleading me to let you leave."

"Sesshoumaru, I cannot control the time or the fates. Some say I overcame time but the truth is, it overcame me. It threw me from my era to the feudal era and kept tossing me back and forth while I travelled with my friends. It threw me from the feudal era to you in this time and I was never meant to come here though I am so glad I did. Now it is calling me to come back and if I do not then, well, I am not exactly sure really, but I must go."

"No!"

"Please!"

"NO!"

"TAKE ME BACK NOW!"

"I REFUSE!"

"Sesshoumaru! I do not belong here!"

He fell silent then, his shoulders slumped and he seemed to know he had lost. The argument though, Kagome noted, had not gone on for as long as she thought it might do. She was glad for that, she did not like to fight with Sesshoumaru, and she loved him too much to stay mad at him. The only times she had ever been this mad at him, was when she slapped him and throttled him. Of course she hated the Sesshoumaru of the future too who tried to kill her, but this was different. As much as she did not like him ruling her like this... she did not want to go.

He rose slowly and shot her a weird look, a cross between betrayal, hurt and confusion. She felt her eyes wanting to meet the floor, but forced herself to stare back in his eyes and not concede. The standoff did not last long and he was the one to look away first. This surprised Kagome, Taiyoukai do not turn from a human girl first. He reached out for the door handle, back still turned to her when she let out a deep breath and spoke once more.

"Fine, you may go if that is what you so desire, I do recall after all that I did say I would let you go if I had to. Though admittedly, that was before I fell for you so deeply I was not sure I could leave your side for a minute. I shall not be the one to take you back though, I do not think I will be able to; I would end up bringing you back. I shall tell my father of what you plan to do and he shall take you to where you first fell so you may go. Goodbye Kagome."

Before he exited the room, Kagome shot up from where he was sitting and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck to stop him from going. "I love you Sesshoumaru, please do not forget that through the years – I love you. You are the reason why I do not want to go, why I want to stay in this era, remember that, please." She stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his to prove the point.

Under her touch she felt him relax and his eye softened. However, he pulled away from the kiss and his eyes hardened again. He reached out and stroked the side of her face before pulling back and leaving the room in a swish of silk and not another word.


	34. where you belong

**Another chapter guys. Yay! One thing you should know – I HATE SAD ENDINGS! I can't write them so you can expect no angst from me really. Although 'age of the youkai' s probably an exception. I've gone through 3 envelopes of notes for it now, and they are depressing and OTT. First chapter is almost complete though! I am writing about 50 fanfics at the moment though, so I will not post it for a couple of weeks or so yet at the very least!**

**Chapter 34 – Where you belong**

Kagome stood at the water's edge, looking at the place she had fallen. The pull was strongest here, one more step and she was pretty sure she would disappear. Inutaisho stood next to her, arms folded, looking at her through impassive golden eyes. He said not a word, but he stood there and looked at her. He would stay until she disappeared, but he played no part in anything, he just stood there and watched her, he seemed to know that something ill had gone down in between her and Sesshoumaru and that speaking would not be a good idea right now.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked eventually after watching her debate about taking the final step for 10 minutes. "Are you going to go or not?" He did not seem to asking her to do either; he just wanted to know what was taking so long. He came forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, "you must have an awful lot on your mind, you know you should not feel forced to do whatever you do not wish, your life is yours to live and you must live it. Human lives are short you know, do not fill it full of regrets and poor decisions."

"I'm confused though," Kagome said quietly on the brink of tears. "That is what I've been trying to do my whole life, what I want. But I do not know what I want, or what I want is contradictory, so I will end up suffering in some way in the end. What I want is for others to be happy, for my friends to find their happy ending. I wanted Inuyasha to be happy and that involved him going to Kikyou, but I suffered in the end anyway because I loved him too."

"But are you not mated to my other son now?"

"Well yes, but I was hurt by Inuyasha before I met Sesshoumaru as he is now."

"You loved Inuyasha once."

"I believed it was true love too. Because real true love is when you shed a tear for him and you still want him with all your being. It's when he ignores you and puts you down with insults and you still love him. It's when he goes to another girl, the one that he truly loves because he hardly knows about you but you still smile and say I'm happy for you. But I am not happy, although I might pretend to for him, even though I wanted him to be happy, but I wanted him to be happy with me. But it did not matter as long as one of us came out smiling, that is what wanted, for one of us to come out smiling, but it wasn't me and I do not think I ever thought it would be. So I said I am happy for you when all I really did was cry and cry."

Tears pricked at her eyes and she did not bother to wipe them away, because Inuyasha and she together were worth a few tears. "But when I met Sesshoumaru, he pieced my heart back together and I was always smiling with him, and now... I have to leave that happiness again. And that's what I don't want, to go back to heartbreak, but I do want to go back at the same time because there is more than heartbreak. There are the adventures I share with my friends, my companions themselves, and my duty with that STUPID JEWEL!"

"Do you still want to go back Kagome?"

"I have to."

"That is not what I asked, do you want to?"

"I... I'm not sure. I don't know what the future is going to be like now."

"Tell me what you want."

"I'm split 70 to 30, but I don't know which is for going and which is for staying. Everything has its counterpart. If I go then the burning in my heart telling me I need to will cease and I will see my friends and Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru as I remember them. Then again due to my actions in the past that has all been changed now, so

"Well do not think about it, and then you will find your answer. Do not give yourself anytime to mull it over just give the answer straight away and I will ensure you that it will b the truth: what is it that you want most of all Kagome."

"Just once I want to love and not have it hurt in the end."

"Well then ask yourself this question: where are you going to find that? Are you going to find that by going back, you probably will, you will see us all again of course. But with your responsibility will that happen? Perhaps your actions have made it so you never even get dragged to the feudal era, so all of those things you mentioned will not happen."

"I'm not sure Touga."

"You say that you want others to be happy. If you take one more step and disappear, possibly forever, who will be happy about that?"

"My family, I think."

"And what about you?"

"That hardly matters."

"Of course it does! We are talking about _your _life here!"

"I am used to putting myself second!"

"Well there's your problem with life. This is your life so stop filling it with stupid regrets and always looking out for others! Your life is meant to be about you! It's no wonder your life is full of heartbreak if you never tend to your needs in case someone else's life is less than perfect. You want to go back on the off chance that you still have a responsibility to complete there and to see your travelling companions again. You do not want to go back to save Sesshoumaru's heart from breaking. What do _you _want Kagome?"

Kagome thought about it. She had steeled herself into being prepared to let everyone here go so she could leave, but was that right? She was prepared to leave behind Sesshoumaru, Touga, and Inuyasha as she knows him now and Izayoi. But what she was forgetting was that she did not need to say goodbye to them, it was not right.

Forget the future, 200 years from now and 700 years from now, those periods and era do not matter. This was her present now, _this era, _here and now with a younger Sesshoumaru and a brotherly bond between Inus and Touga and Izayoi, _this _was her time. Was she really going to give them up for people who had yet to be born and probably will never meet anyway with the changes to the future? No, that made no sense whatsoever.

She could forget about the responsibility, easily. She simply made it so she had no responsibility to that stupid jewel that started this whole thing in the first place. If Onigumo died from his injuries in that cave when he was a bandit like he was meant to then Naraku and the terror that came with him would not pose any problem. If Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha loved each other like they were meant to then that would equal one less enemy to worry about.

If Kagome mated Sesshoumaru, she would not be hurt by Inuyasha mating Kikyou. She did not want it to hurt in the end. Where to go oh what to do? Nothing ever good happened in her modern life or in the feudal era, except meeting her friends and surrogate son. She said she belonged in the feudal era but that was not true. Where you belong is not a place or a time, it is where you feel you want to be and where you are needed.

She was needed here and now.

She thought once more about her good times in the other eras she had been and came up with a blank. The best part of what happened must have been the part she missed; she belonged with her pack and with Sesshoumaru. That is why he gave her such a look when she said she did not belong there, because it was like saying she did not belong with him, but she did, she did belong with him, she loved him, and only him.

She was forcing herself to leave behind the wrong people. She was forcing herself to leave behind the people of her present to greet the people of her future, when surely she could just wait to meet them the long way. She did not have to leave anyone behind and it was time she lived her life for her instead of just existing.

"I'm sorry," she said, not sure who she was addressing. "I need to let you all go and stay in the place and time I belong." A single tear for all she was leaving behind slid down her cheek before she forced herself to think nothing but happy thoughts. After all it was not really goodbye, she would see them all again someday after all.

The pulling sensation in her side disappeared.

Sesshoumaru paced in his room, not knowing what to think, just waiting for his father to return. Then suddenly he felt his massive youki appear in the courtyard and for some reason wanted to see him. He was never much one for comfort or touching of any sort really, but e wanted it now, ever since meeting Kagome he had learnt to be a touchy person. He was never going to be able to spar again that was for certain.

He needed the touch and feel of another now that his confident was gone. It was not that he searched it from his father, but he missed her already and was sorry for his hurting her. His father had been the one to take her and he knew now that he should have been the one, she wanted him to be the one to take her, he realized the importance of it only now. His father would have her lingering scent on him at least, that was reason enough to want to see him, that secondary resource simple whiff would be enough to sate him for now.

His room still smelt of her, the centre of his bed where she always sat, and the silk black pillow she had commandeered upon first spending the majority of time in his room. The staff she soared with he had moved up to his room to remember her by. 200 hundred years, could he wait 200 hundred years for his mate to come back?

He held Inuyasha in his arms, finding comfort in the feel of the warm infant body to his chest. It was strange; he had always thought Kagome odd for managing to find comfort in simply holding the pup even though it was not like the baby did anything. All pups were good for were crying and eating and sleeping, he did not do anything to help her. Yet here he was, doing nothing but being the pup of his Kagome and he found comfort strength and comfort in simply holding the baby to him. If this kept up he was going to cry – and demons do not shed tears!

As his father walked into the courtyard he saw he was not alone. By his side was Kagome, tear streaked but smiling and very much there. She believed she belonged in another era; she had a duty to complete there. All she had been was kind and loving towards him and all he had done in response was fail to understand and listen to her and get angry. She had been rational and calm with him, even kissing him and saying she loved him and still he did not even look at her. And despite all of that, she had decided to stay.

Sesshoumaru rushed forward and enveloped the girl in his arms and crushed her to his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he whispered into her hair again and again. He was aware of his father narrowing his eyes and nod, probably in approval before simply walking away. He moved his head to the crook of her neck and drank in her delicious scent, all the while his beast whimpered in apology of the thoughtlessness of his earlier actions.

Kagome lifted her arms and partook in the hug, clenching him to her as her hung onto her as well. "I belong here, with you, I want to stay."

He drew back from her and studied her. Then he crushed his lips to hers in acceptance. She had always been his, and she had finally realized it.


	35. Coronation

**Sorry for the late update. For those who have read Lord of the West I apologise sincerely for the lemon in this chapter as I basically copied and pasted it. I can't write lemons, plain and simple. Next time I need to write one, because they are basic plot elements and I like closing stories with lemons I will leave a plea for someone to write it for me. I can get an answer in a review and then PM the lemon. Actually if anyone wants to rewrite this lemon for me, please do go ahead and I will change it, I just did not know what to write so... yeah, here it is. Well, my last A level is tomorrow so I better go revise. This is the second to last chapter by the way, then I shall focus on 'Pure of heart' and might even get round to writing 'Age of the Youkai' and my Sess/Souta story (which I love but never get round to writing,) 'what might happen in the... Past.' Well read and review – they make me happy.**

**Chapter 35 - Coronation**

Sesshoumaru knelt before the thrown of his father with his head bowed low. He had never shown anyone including said father such as act of submission and planned to never do so again. Despite the act of lowering himself a small smile was on his face and he was filled with pride and respect. He never expected such an honour to be bestowed upon him, yet here he was, being elevated to the top of all Taiyoukai's before his rightful time, during his father's reign. The one to thank for this though and thanks was most certainly due, was not his father, the one giving him the honour, but his mate, the one who influenced the decision.

"I Touga Takahashi," Touga started, rose from his thrown to stand before the kneeling figure of his son, and started to list of his titles. "Inu no Taisho, Lord of the Western Lands," _oh get on with it _"master of warrior and swordsmanship, hereby pass my title and my responsibilities to my son. Do you, Sesshoumaru Takahashi, Prince of the Western Provinces accept the title and the duty that comes along with being Lord of the West?"

"I accept with pride," He answered, smile growing, this was a moment he had been dreaming of, yet a moment he never believed would come. He was prepared to wait for the death of his father to receive this honour (not that he wanted him to die). Being given the role before your time was an honour not given to many Princes. It usually only happened if you challenge your father for the rights, meaning you have to beat him, not only in battle, but in all roles associated with being Lord to show you are a batter candidate for the task of ruling.

"Rise, Lord Sesshoumaru Takahashi, Inu no Taisho, Taiyoukai of the Western Lands," he commanded regally. Then he leant closer and whispered a bit extra in his ear just for him, "when you can beat me you can earn yourself the other titles too." Of course, only his father would find some way to dampen such a wonderful moment for him, and would be with a comment like that too. Still, this was his coronation, the prideful moment of his life and he'd be damned if that smile was going to leave his face – ever.

His father left his thrown and stepped down, allowing Sesshoumaru to come forward and seat himself in the thrown as the rightful Lord of the West. When he was seated at the head of the hall, Touga, and he was permitted to call him that now, knelt at his feet as he had done only moments earlier. He got down to his knees before his son, a prideful smile on his face too, Sesshoumaru deserved this, and he was happy for him. The ultimate act of submission was easy for him to show, even though it was his own pup he was showing it to.

After all, the former Lord of the West never did anything he did not want to. And he never did anything without a plan or a reason behind it. Sesshoumaru deserved this, wanted this and was more than capable of being the rightful Lord yes, but it was not the reason it was happening. After all, he was just as competent at being the Lord of the West, and had been for many centuries, and his son was no better. However, his son was also no worse, and in doing this he allowed himself an early retirement to spend his remaining centuries with his mate.

Now it was Izayoi's turn and she was just as eager to do the same for Kagome. Kagome herself was kneeled at the Lady of the West's feet, about to assume her title and was nowhere near as overjoyed about it as her mate was. She was terrified about the responsibility ahead, but Sesshoumaru assured her that he would look after her and school her in what her duties now entailed. She trusted him to be a good teacher because she was a horrible student, and outline it for her many times and in great detail.

"Do you, Kagome Higurashi accept the role of Lady of the West as mate to Sesshoumaru Takahashi, Lord of the Western Lands, Inu no Taisho?" Well it was not as if she could say 'no' as much as she may have been tempted to. She wanted to nod feebly in defeat too, but apparently this was meant to be a great honour. Struggling to sound as regal and as proud as Sesshoumaru had when he said it, she repeated his words, "I accept with pride," and disdain and a sense of foreboding regret and a great deal of reluctance.

With that, she and Sesshoumaru became Lord and Lady of the West and Izayoi and Touga promptly disappeared upstairs. Sesshoumaru reached for her hand and she laced her fingers with his in response, needing him close by. She spent a few minutes staring into his eyes and his smile, taking comfort in the small fact that he was there and would look after her. The moment and the whole coronation were not so bad after all, and then the room suddenly felt very heavy with the weight of sexual tension.

They could hear them, Touga and Izayoi, mating upstairs. "You know, it does not really do to have a mate who is not yet mated," Sesshoumaru said casually.

_**LEMON STARTS HERE**_

He carried her into the bedroom bridal style, Kagome did not even notice when they moved from the thrones. He laid her on the bed and crawled over her locking his lips with hers. Kagome had to tell herself she wanted it, but the maiden within her was making her incredibly nervous. "If at any time you want me to stop," he whispered into her mouth, "please tell me." He shed his clothing in a matter of seconds, the cloth seeming to melt away from his body, and wasted no time in ridding her of her coverings too.

Once bare to each other he claimed her lips once more, holding himself over her with large muscled forearms. Once he was finished with her mouth he moved down, leading a trail of tender kisses down the column of her throat. Kagome never thought she would react this way to a man's touch, it was not like anything she had ever felt before, and she arched into the feeling of his lips on her skin as he quite literally ravaged her. He was a dog after all, and dogs liked to use their tongues and their mouths when mating.

A moan escaped her lips as he started to suckle on a piece of skin. He made sure there would be a mark there when he lifted his mouth away to accompany the bite. He wanted to cover her body with those love marks, her throat, her stomach, her core, her thighs, to thoroughly bind her to him, and to show to all who came close she was not to be touched. But while he could do that were she a female demon he could not subject such treatment to a human, she would not heal as quickly. What is more, her pain tolerance is not as high, and the painful pleasure would weigh more strongly towards pain than the pleasure.

He gave the spot one last tender kiss before paying attention to her breasts. It was clear she was no child, she was fully grown and matured into a beautiful young woman and those luscious mounds were like a delicacy to him. His licked the underside of each one and found that their weight was perfect against him. While he sucked and nipped at one breast, he massaged the other, holding his whole weight above her with the one hand on the mattress beneath them.

He gave a groan as she laced her fingers through his silver hair and pulled it as he buried himself in her bosom. She gave out a moan as his tongue flicked over the nipple and he did it again and again so she was letting out a continuous hiss of pleasure as he pleasured her. She never knew it was possible to feel such bliss and the best/worst part was yet to come, she was scared about that, but he promised her he would not hurt her. This she had trouble believing this but the reason she was mated to him was because she trusted him.

His mouth moved lower, tongue lacing over her stomach, tickling her, before dipping lower once more towards her heated core. He littered the insides of her thighs with kisses and licks, starting at her knees and moving further up tantalizingly slowly, he was teasing her, she was sure of it, but she had never been with a male in this intimate way before, she had no idea what sex was like, or what it was meant to be like. Of course they had not actually moved onto the joining sexually yet, but they would come to it soon, there was no way she was leaving this bedroom until he was satisfied, he had told her that on the way here.

But he had said she could tell him to stop... but that was not going to happen. She could not remain he mate-to-be forever, and as his tongue reached her centre she was sure she _wanted _this too. She wanted it with him; she loved him, everything about him, all of his sides. She shivered in delight as she felt his tongue run across her closed lips before darting inside the folds to taste the interior. She let out a gasp and gripped his hair tighter, pulling him to her, trapping him there, she didn't want him to ever leave her and continue the bliss.

His tongue flicked over the bundle of nerves that brought her ultimate pleasure, as it happened she momentarily saw stars and breathed his name. He flicked his tongue over it again, harder and more forcefully, and she said his name slightly louder. In and out his tongue went and she had no idea it was possible for someone's tongue to do that to her, but this was the Lord of the West, as per a few minutes ago, and he had wanted this for months.

She felt a coil of heat building up in the pit of her stomach, becoming tighter and tighter as he carried on his ministrations. Then suddenly she came, a lot, her orgasm spilling over his face and soaking her thighs. She screamed his name as she climaxed, mind blanking for the moments it happened, "SESSHOUMARU!" He chuckled as it happened and kissed her centre many times in appreciation of her exclamation, seeming to take her scream as a compliment. He lapped up all of her precious nectar before withdrawing his tongue and moving it back up to her lips.

She tasted herself on his lips as he kissed her, exploring her mouth with his tongue, not missing one inch of the moist cavern, not one tooth. "You came a lot," he mentioned casually in a voice one would use to state the weather. She blushed a bright pink at the comment wondering whether this was something that a male would usually say. She had never had an orgasm triggered by another before and did not know what a suitable response would be, or if she was even meant to give one. "Well it's more than you have come tonight," she settled with, immediately realizing it was a mistake from his dark smile.

"My time will come little miko. You will have many more climaxes too, let's step it up shall we for the next couple of rounds?" With those words he moved towards her nether regions again and with no warning slipped one finger into her entrance. She gasped at the intrusion but it was not at all an unpleasant feeling, it was strange and new though. When he was sure she had accustomed to his finger inside her he started pumping her slowly in and out.

She breathed his name as she started rocking her hips along with his movement. Then another finger joined the first and they did a scissor motion inside her, stretching her walls, preparing her for what was to come. A third finger followed shortly after the third and she could feel the knot building up inside her once more. He pumped her perhaps three times with all three fingers before her walls clenched around his fingers and she came again, once more screaming his name as she soaked his finger with her juices.

The fingers disappeared without a word from him and she felt something hard and big positioned at her entrance. He nipped her ear, telling her to be ready for the stinging pain. He planned to move in slowly, allowing her to get accustomed to his size, and he did so until he reached her maiden barrier. He could not hold himself back any longer, pulled all the way out and with one powerful roll of his hips thrust into her.

She cried out in shock and pain and he cursed himself for losing himself like that, he had not meant to hurt her. He gave an apologising nip to her shoulder and licked the mating mark to say he was sorry for the loss of control. She nodded marginally in acceptance, but a single tear rolled down her cheek in the pain anyway. Guilt twisted in his heart, but he knew that she would have felt some level of pain anyway, and from now on it would just get better and better and all she would feel in pleasure – that was what mating was all about.

To make up for the loss of control he stayed still inside her for a long time until she smiled at him, her permission for him to continue. He rocked slowly, the thrusts slow and short, afraid to hurt her more, but she was still smiling. He picked up the pace, quickly he felt himself losing himself again, the thrusts becoming faster and more urgent as he raced towards his release. He bordered on the line of vicious but she did not seem to mind and eventually he came at the same time as her. He shot his seed deep within her as she coated his length in her nectar. They screamed each other's name into the night. Well, Kagome screamed, Sesshoumaru was a dog Taiyoukai and his scream of ecstasy was more like a howl of conquest.

"I love you," he whispered into her lips as he collapsed beside her on the bed, bringing her to his side, "I am glad you stayed with me."

"Me too," she answered both questions and they sank into the blissfulness of sleep in each other's embrace.

Now if she would groom with him.


	36. Time passed

**A little sad, but I tried not to make it sound sad, I just needed to conclude it. Anyway, this is the last chapter – so enjoy, review and start reading Pure of Heart now. 'Age of the youkai' is starting to come off the notes on the back of the envelope stage now so the first chapter of that will be up here soon, though I warn you it is a little dark.**

**Chapter 36 – Time passed**

So that is how life passed for Kagome Higurashi. She sat by on her thrown as Lady of the West and watched the world pass her as time went by with her mate by her side of course. It was strange to consider, even as she lived out her life, for she never in a million years thought that things would turn out this way. She ruled the kingdom as Lady of the West as honourably as any Lady of the West should be. The future played out right in front of her eyes, and seeming as it was her present she saw no harm in tweaking it a little.

When Kikyou turned into a teenager, she took Inuyasha to the village and had them meet accidentally on purpose. She always believed they belonged together and they become instant friends if not lovers. She doubted they would become lovers, they met too young and became friends too much, and it would be hard for them to think of each other any other way. She was glad they met though; Inuyasha was yet to find a good friend. The prejudice against hanyous despite her best attempts lived through the years. The prejudice against humans though did not live, she and Sesshoumaru saw to that. It was hard to hold disdain for humans and mikos when one of them sat on the Western throne for two generations.

Sesshoumaru killed Onigumo when he became a bandit so Naraku was never born. Kikyou gave Kagome the jewel as a gift, well, Kagome offered to relieve her of the burden anyway. She wished the jewel to be rid of so no one could be manipulated by it, it was a pure wish and there were no negative side effects of it. the only thing that was left to do was find her friends, she wanted to meet them all even if they were different.

Sango had her village and most importantly her brother Kohaku. They were as close and siblings could be and she was sure no one would have it any other way. She and Sango became instant good friends, almost like sisters and Kohaku, well, he took to Sesshoumaru instantly, and treating him like the big brother he never had in just their first meeting. Kohaku hero worshipped him like Souta and Shippou hero worshipped Inuyasha. Despite the obvious admiration it took a couple of years for the still rather icy Sesshoumaru to reciprocate the feelings.

Shippou was the second person they met and though Kagome was glad he had his father, Kagome missed how the little fox was no longer her kit. She need not have worried though, for the cub took to her instantly and Kagome reckoned they were destined to come together. He was more mature than she remembered, spending more time with his father allowed him to train with his fox magic more and he was like a young man despite his stature.

Miroku, well he was still a lecher, only both his hands were cursed with the affliction of touching a female's rear end. He did ask her to bear his children when they first met but lived to regret it when Sesshoumaru appeared. Kagome managed to save his life and he got away with only a mild beating, Miroku never asked her again though he felt her up occasionally, claiming that it was not his fault but the curse of his hand every time she or her mate attempted to kill him for it. It was time for him to meet the slayer who was already like a sister to her, if he latched onto her instead it may very well save his life, Sesshoumaru asked her every morning and evening whether he was allowed to kill Miroku yet after all.

She decided to become a matchmaker seeming as she believed he and Sango belonged together and made sure they met. They were just like she remembered almost immediately, they became firm friends and the monk showed Sango all of his sides, the playful side as well as the serious one. Just like last time, Miroku did not immediately ask her to bear his children but touched her all the time. Several whacks over the head never subdued him as always. Sesshoumaru looked as though he wanted to intervene at several points, as he and Miroku became good friends in time after he stopped letting his cursed hand let loose around Kagome, however, Kagome assured him this was the way things were meant to be.

They found Kouga too, and Ginta and Hakkaku. He was still a good friend of hers and seeming as she was already mated Kouga did not ask her to be his woman though it was obvious he felt something for her as soon as they met. Sesshoumaru took an instant dislike to the wolf and told her he was the one she belonged to and made love to her that night three times to prove it. Kouga married Ayame like he was supposed to this time. They established a tense friendship in time though, and Kagome made Kouga promise to not let his wolves feast on humans anymore. He agreed easily, he preferred the taste of other animals anyway.

They found Rin too, but got to her too late; she was an abused orphan who did not speak when they found her. She was only six at that point too, but Sesshoumaru still took her in, at least he did not need to bring her back to life seeming as wolves no longer hurt humans. Rin became their first pup seeming as Kagome was not sure whether she was ready to have a newborn yet. They did soon after taking Rin in though, and they called him Taro. He was the cutest thing Kagome had ever seen and Sesshoumaru accused her of coddling him too much. She still refused to let her mate train him until he was visibly 10 years old.

Rin was the perfect big sister, and took on the role very seriously and very well. Sesshoumaru exchanged blood with her to make her age at the same rate as demons much in the same way he did for her. It became clear Taro started to feel for Rin in a way he should not be in time, and it was not that wrong really seeming as they were not related by blood – well actually they were after the blood exchange... but it did not matter seeming as Rin did not feel for him in the same way. They were only siblings and loved each other in that way, Rin fell in love with Shippou anyway so the little boy she loved became her son in law anyway.

Time passed and time tends to do and Kagome watched her friends grow old and pass way as they tend to. Keade and Kikyou were the first to go, Inuyasha was the one who was most devastated, but he had mated a fellow hanyou, Shiori in fact, though she was a little young, so it was not as if he lost the love of his life. Sango and Miroku left the world in peace too, but left behind numerous children, lots of them. They had twelve in the end, five girls and six boys, four of them were two sets of twins, and they all grew up to be slayers, the boys becoming monks as well. Their descendents were a constant reminder of Kagome's closest friends.

It was when modern time came to pass that Kagome was apprehensive. She was never born; it was that simple, so she technically never had a mother, she was a child straight from the Kamis. They had a little boy they named Souta and he was their only child. Kagome became a good friend of the family when she saved the life of the man who was her father from the car accident. Souta became just like a little brother to her and Buyo took to her like he did when she lived with them as a member of the family for real.

The future became the present and the present became the past as she looked to the future with her mate and her family she never forget her decision to stay in the past, for this, here with Sesshoumaru is where she belonged. She clasped Sesshoumaru's hand and looked at their children, Rin and Taro, and then the twins whom she named after her friends, Sango and Miroku. The youngest son who became the finest warrior, she named him Kohaku and their youngest daughter, whom she named Kikyou, Kikyou also was the only one who was not a demon and inherited hr mother's holy priestess powers.

Shippou and Rin had many children too, but did not name them after lost friends, well, all accept one, they named their eldest Souta in memory of the boy who became a good friend to them. Their youngest son they called Touga and their only daughter they called Izayoi. He was yet to pass as was Izayoi, but the names lived on even so.

Time passed in her togetherness and foreverness with who she belonged with.


End file.
